


The Hitman

by writequeenwalks



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018) Actor RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mob, Graphic depictions of violence - Freeform, Some Drug Use, noir-esque monologues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2020-05-15 15:17:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19298362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writequeenwalks/pseuds/writequeenwalks
Summary: Angel Eyes took a vow long ago to protect the children of New York. With his ring of hitmen, he works himself to the bone to ensure that promise is kept.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first take on a series this big and drawn out. Do enjoy! I have many things planned for this series

My name is Ben Hardy and my daughter is missing. We came here with nothing but the clothes on our backs a few days ago. I went into a butcher shop to ask about a job and when I came out she was gone. I looked around, I asked people, but she’s gone. Her name is Kathleen. She’s six. She’s got brunette hair and green eyes and freckles on her face. 

End Police Report 

 

“Mr. Hardy” the police chief called out. “I need to speak with you” he said and took me into a back room.  
“Yes sir, I what can I do?”  
“Well here’s the thing, my men are doing all they can, but to increase our chances of finding her, I have someone you need to talk to. He’s a very powerful man, and he can find her if anyone can.” I sighed in relief at that.  
“Please, let me talk to him. Where is he?” I asked anxiously.  
“You have a meeting with him in an hour. He’s sending a car here to get you. You need to listen to me, you’re meeting the most powerful man in New York, possibly the country. You need to talk to him like he’s a god, do you understand?”  
“I understand-“  
“No son. You’re meeting a man who could kill you in an instant if he wanted to and nobody would know. Now listen closely. When you see him, you address him as Father Maz. After that it’s Sir. He’s known around here as Angel Eyes. Not just anyone around here talks with him. You don’t anger him. You tell him what you need, and you do it respectfully, capisce?” He explained deliberately.  
“Understood” I answered and waited for the car. 45 minutes later a man in a black suit came in through the police station’s back door.  
“Hardy” he said in a deep almost raspy voice. He looked young. I stood and walked to him.  
“Are you taking me to Angel Eyes?” I asked hesitantly, stopping in front of him. He nodded once and led me out to a pearl Cadillac. The windows were dark, and I could hardly see anything. We rode in silence for a while, not sure how long. 

“We’re here. Did he give you a run down of what to do” he said more than asked.  
“I address him as Father Maz and Sir” I responded. He walked me into a building. We climbed several flights of stairs until we reached a dark heavy wooden door. My escort opened it and it led to a small waiting area. We entered and walked up to a man who was guarding another door.  
“Hardy to see Boss” my escort said to this man. He was taller and thinner but still quite a large man. He nodded and entered the room.  
“Where-“  
“Shush” he said and looked off towards the small window on the other side of the room. A minute later the tall man came back.  
“He’ll see you now” he said in a deep voice, accent reminiscent of my own. I clasped my hands in front of me and walked in the open door.

I was met with dark cherry wood walls and blood red carpet. The windows were nearly black and the room was dark, aside from small lamps. A man sat in a large armchair in the far corner, a black fedora covered his eyes.  
“Father Maz-“ I said after a moment but was hushed.  
“You speak when spoken to, is that clear?” He said interrupting my plea. His voice was smooth, not quite as deep as mine, but intimidating. “I’m a very busy man and my time is limited. Who are you and why have you come here?”  
“Father Maz, my name is Ben Hardy and my daughter is missing. I filed a police report but the police chief said you might could help me find her. Please sir, help me. She’s all I have in this world” I cried, tears streaming down my face.  
“If I do this for you, I’ll need something in return” he said standing up from his chair and walking over to the windowsill. He kept his back to me. He picked up a glass of brandy and took a sip. I lowered my head.  
“Sir I have no money to offer you. We came here from England with nothing trying to escape the war” I admitted ashamed and afraid, not only for my sake but Kathleen’s.  
“In that case” he said as he turned around to face me. I looked up and noticed he had turned to face me, his eyes completely shaded over by the brim of his hat. “You come work for me. Serve me, join my men. In return I’ll keep you and your daughter safe, happy, comfortable, and out of prison until your dying days.” My jaw clenched at his words and I paused to think.  
“If it means getting her back and keeping her safe, I’ll do whatever you ask including serving your administration. Please just get my Kathleen back to me safely. Boss.” My blood chilled at those words. I saw his lips curl upwards, almost in a smile.  
“Consider it done. You start when she’s home safely, from the bottom. You’ll be in touch with my other associates and verifying information. We run a tight, clean ship. For now Reaper will show you to your new home. You’re dismissed.” He said. My escort opened the door.  
“Follow me.” He said and I did. 

That was how I sold my soul. And the day I met Angel Eyes.


	2. Chapter 1

_My name is Joseph Francis Mazzello, at least it used to be. I haven’t been called that in a long time. I have many names now, but that’s not one of them. Father Maz to my servants and the beggars who darken my door asking for help. Boss to my men, without whom I would have next to nothing. And Angel Eyes to every person in New York. I know what you’re thinking, Angel Eyes for a mob boss? No godfather is an Angel Eyes. Well, that’s where you’re wrong. I’ve got more power than probably the fucking president. I’m never going to jail. The police work for me, I’ve gotten each one of them off at least once. I own half of New York and nobody realizes it. So who came up with Angel Eyes? I honestly don’t remember, it’s been so long. What you should be asking is why. Because that’s the real story. ___

__

Angel Eyes sat at his desk smoking a cigar with a stack of papers just off to the side. His eyes were tired from being up all night looking for potential new locations for his newest project. There was a knock at the door followed by a man in a suit and tie entering.   
“Boss it’s time” he said in a calm raspy voice. Angel Eyes lowered his head so his fedora was covering his eyes.  
“Very well” he said reaching for a pair of silver sunglasses folded neatly under his desk lamp. He slowly put them on and snuffed out his cigar before rising from his leather chair. He pulled the chain on the lamp and fixed his coat before walking towards the man.  
“Fang has the car ready for you when you’re ready, sir.” the man said as Angel Eyes walked through the door.  
“Thank you Reaper” he said quickly as he hurried down the hall towards a stairwell. Reaper followed a few steps behind. They descended the winding brick stairwell and through the foyer. Their footsteps echoed in the empty house. Reaper jumped ahead and opened the large glass door leading to the front stairs. As Angel Eyes exited the house he looked forward to see Fang standing outside a black Cadillac. When the two men approached the car, Fang opened the door and Angel Eyes climbed into the back seat followed by Reaper. Fang shut the door behind them and walked around to the driver’s side. The car started and they pulled away from the brick mansion, a wrought iron gate shutting behind them. 

__

The drive was fairly short, only a few miles until they saw the buildings of the city. No one talked, Fang simply drove the car in and out of traffic. Fifteen minutes later Fang parked. Reaper exited the car and fixed his tie. Angel Eyes followed, and the three men approached a cathedral. Angel Eyes kept his sunglasses on as he entered the building but removed his hat, allowing his auburn locks to gently sway with the breeze. The three men made their way to a row of candles. Angel Eyes lit one and bowed his head. It wasn’t for him. He pulled a rosary from his pocket and gently ran his fingers over the beads before walking to the back pew. Reaper and Fang followed and sat on either side of him. Once they were settled, the priest entered and welcomed everyone. Angel Eyes sang every song, just as he was raised to. He took communion, and followed all the rituals of the mass, doing his best to control his emotions. He found tears rolling silently down his face as he halfway listened to the priest. Once the congregation was dismissed, he stood once more.   
“Gentlemen, we have much to discuss. We need-”  
“Good to see you again Thomas!” a small elderly woman exclaimed as she approached them.Thomas Santino, his church alias. Angel Eyes’s top priority was always anonymity, so much to the point he nearly forgot his actual name.Hardly anyone called him by his true name anymore, most didn’t know it anyway.  
“Mrs. Harrowood, so nice to see you” he smiled.  
“Oh dear you must take off those sunglasses, how can you see?” she fretted. He tipped his head lower as Fang and Reaper watched their boss make small talk.  
“I’m nearly blinded by these lights. My eyes are so sensitive, I have to wear them” he explained. He took her hand and looked her in the eye, though it was hard for her to tell through his reflective sunglasses. “Don’t worry so much about me Mrs. Harrowood, I take good care of myself and my eyes.”  
“Excuse me gentlemen, may I interrupt for a moment?” Father Mark said approaching them. “I saw your emotional response to the sermon.”  
“Ah yes” he said keeping his cool facade “a long week will do that sometimes.”  
“May God grant you rest” Father Mark stayed and bowed as he made his exit. 

__

As the men walked back to the car, Fang and Reaper exchanged looks; Fang’s of confusion and Reaper’s of a promise of future explanation. Once in the car, Angel Eyes spoke.  
“We need Smokes. We have to discuss the next project. Bring him by at four. We’ll all have a round of drinks and discuss the locations. I’ll rest until then, no disturbances. Am I clear?” he asked seriously.  
“Yes Boss” the men answered in unison.  
“And make sure Kathleen has someone to watch her while Smokes is with us” he added.  
“I’ll see to it Boss” Reaper replied without hesitation. The ride back to the mansion was quiet and calm. 

__

Angel Eyes exited the car and made his way up to the front door.   
“Boss, please let me help you to bed, you need sleep. You’ve been working nonstop for weeks on the new project. Do we have to discuss the location today?” Reaper asked concernedly as he grabbed Angel Eyes’s arm to help him through the door. He quickly retracted at the touch, nearly falling off balance as he continued on to his bedroom.  
“If you understood the gravity of this situation you’d know why we have to. Once the location is decided, I’ll rest” he explained sternly. They reached the master bedroom and Reaper helped Angel Eyes inside. He helped him remove his shoes and coat, then stood back as his boss sat on the bed; his appearance disheveled and dull.  
“You’re running yourself ragged, Boss. I mean no disrespect, but you need to slow down. At least let me push the meeting back a few hours” Reaper pleaded. Angel Eyes removed his tie and unbuttoned his shirt; Reaper shifted in his place awaiting a response.  
“Four o’clock, no later. We decide today. I won’t go to the office tomorrow, happy?” He questioned as he shrugged off his shirt.  
“Of course” Reaper responded with a smirk. “I’ll make sure everything is in order. Do you need anything else while I’m here?”  
“A brandy. Other than that you’re dismissed. Bring everyone here for drinks and dinner” he reminded as he pulled back the velvet covers on the bed.  
“Of course” he responded as he made his way to the bar and poured a glass of brandy. He walked back over to the bed and handed it to his boss who was propped up in bed, the covers up to his chest.  
“Thank you. Rami” he said looking off in the opposite direction. Reaper’s eyes widened at the use of his name.  
“Of course, Joe” he heard a small chuckle from his boss as he watched him sip his brandy and smiling for the first time in what felt like ages. He bowed slightly and made his way out of the bedroom and out to where Fang was. 

“Well?” he questioned impatiently.   
“Four o’clock. And we can’t be late. He wants to pick the location today, but he said he wouldn’t go into the office tomorrow so I guess that’s a plus” Reaper sighed “I’ll call one of my guys to watch Kathleen, you go get Smokes.”  
“Why does he want Smokes? He’s been with us six months, barely does any hard shit. I’m over here busting my ass keeping his brandy in stock and paying off every judge in the state” he yelled in exasperation pacing alongside the car.  
“He’s eager and will jump at a second’s notice. He owes his life to the Boss, as we all do.” Reaper grabbed Fang by the lapels and slammed him roughly against the car. “If you ever question Angel Eyes’s judgement again I’ll take you out personally, do you understand? Ungrateful asshole!” Reaper’s eyes were filled with rage. Fang swallowed hard and nodded slowly and Reaper finally let go.  
“Come on, we’ve got work to do.” 

__

Angel Eyes woke to a small woman’s hand shaking his shoulder gently.  
“Father Maz, forgive me sir, I hate to disturb you but your company will be arriving shortly. May I help you dress?” she asked as he pulled his sunglasses from the nightstand and put them on.  
“No thank you, Jane. I can handle it from here” he said and pushed the covers off of him. “What time is it?”  
“3:27 sir” she replied and crossed the room to the walk in closet. “Might I suggest the wine-colored overshirt for this evening?” she asked with a nervous smile.  
“Yes, that’s fine. With a black shirt please, I’m going to rinse off. Thank you Jane” Angel Eyes said as he walked into the master bathroom. He stripped off the remainder of clothes and ran a hot shower. Under the water and steam, he closed his eyes feeling his muscles relax, and yet his mind wouldn’t quiet.  
_Another one. I couldn’t save him. I said I would protect them, but I couldn’t protect him. _The thoughts swirled around his head remembering the news of the boy who was found under a bridge. He felt hot tears flow down his cheeks, or was it water? At this point they were indistinguishable. He tried to steady his breathing, but felt his body racked with harsh sobs. Bracing himself against the shower wall, he did all he could to compose himself. _This is why we need this project. This will help keep them safe. _He exited the shower and grabbed a towel to dry his hair. Seeing the mirror fogged up, he quickly swiped the towel over it. He caught his own reflection and paused. His eyes looked tired and dull, he wouldn’t be able to face them like this. _They deserve better. I’m definitely not going to the office tomorrow. _He quickly slicked back his hair and dressed. He left his shirt half buttoned and overshirt open. It fluttered gently as he walked across the room, He then grabbed his sunglasses and headed out towards the conference room in the basement. He had it outfitted with a fully stocked bar and the finest leather chairs. It was soundproofed and bulletproofed, as were most rooms of his home. He opened the door to find his guests had already arrived and were enjoying drinks around the coffee table.______  
“Gentlemen” he said addressing them before walking to the bar and fixing his own drink.  
“Boss” they answered in unison. They stood to move to the proper conference table but were stopped.  
“No need for the formal shit, sit” he said gesturing to the leather armchairs. They sat back down and sipped their drinks while Angel Eyes pulled out papers. “I’ve got a few potential location ideas. Right now, I’m thinking the best place is Ithaca. There’s plenty of land to build the orphanage and the children will have acres to roam. Thoughts?” Angel Eyes said bluntly. Smokes raised his hand. “You can just speak, you don’t have to ask for permission. I called you here to discuss, not shove you into grade school again.”  
“Sorry Boss” Smokes said lowering his hand. “The team you assigned me to, we checked out all the locations, and we think that Ithaca is the best choice” he said sitting his whiskey glass down. “It has a low crime rate, there’s plenty of land, but the downside is that it’s far away from our base. If there’s a problem, we wouldn’t be able to get there as quickly” he said with concern. Angel Eyes rubbed his chin and sat back.  
“We could send a team closer that way, have a satellite base there. That way if something goes wrong we can get it handled until you can get there, Boss” Reaper suggested. Angel Eyes nodded slowly.  
“I like that idea” he said simply. “Fang, how quickly can we get there?” he asked sharply.  
“About five hours sir” he answered. “I know you will want to visit. It would be the furthest away, so it would be an all day event, possibly overnight.”  
“Then a base would be necessary. How long will it take to get it up and running?”  
“Your plans have this being fit to hold 500, it’ll take at least a year even with the best crews working to build it” Reaper replied with a stern look.  
“Fang, I need you to put together a few teams to help build it. I don’t want anyone getting hurt unnecessarily and I want them working all times of day to get it done. Nobody works to the point of exhaustion, understood. Three crews minimum. Make sure everyone is experienced and can get it done.”  
“Yes Boss” he replied. Angel Eyes looked to Smokes who immediately sat at attention ready to move.  
“Smokes, tell your team leader we decided on Ithaca. I need you all to mark off the land. I’ll have Reaper draw up a contract to send to the mayor and get the land bought. In the meantime, be on standby.”  
“Yes Boss” he said with a straight face. Angel Eyes then turned to Reaper.  
“I need you to draw up that contract as well as plans for a satellite base. And I need intel on how that boy came up dead. I’ll keep you posted on anything else.”  
“Of course sir. Whatever you need” he answered with a small smile.  
“What are we calling the new one?” Fang asked curiously. The other two underlings looked between them all.  
“Angelwing Orphan Home” Angel Eyes responded with a small smile. “Meeting adjourned. Now how about you three join me for dinner. Keep the business talk for the conference room.”  
“Thank you sir, it’s kind of you to have us” Smokes said as he stood to shake Angel Eyes’s hand.  
“Smokes, I’ve told you a hundred times you don’t have to thank me for being a decent person. You three are my most trusted men, I’m grateful for each of you” he replied shaking the man’s hand.  
“I owe everything I have to you sir, I’m just happy to be here” Smokes chuckled lightly and sat back down.  
“I’ll check on dinner, you three relax. Help yourselves to anything, please” he said and walked upstairs. The men waited until he had left before talking.  
“Can you please explain to me why he goes to church?” Fang asked Reaper with exasperation.  
“It’s how he was raised. It helps ease his conscience” Reaper responded.  
“Makes sense to me” Smokes replied, getting up to pour himself another drink. “How else could he live with himself knowing what he does.”  
“He doesn’t do it for himself” Reaper responded making Smokes stop in his tracks. “It’s for the children he couldn’t save.” 

_____ _

__

Nobody spoke as Smokes poured his drink. Fang lowered his head and bit the inside of his cheek.   
“He’s going after that shop owner” Reaper said after a few minutes of silence. “The one that killed that boy. He’ll be dead within a week.”  
“How do you know?” Smokes asked a bit quieter than before. Fang looked up with dark eyes and stared at the other Brit.  
“He’s already had my team tracking him. Now it’s a matter of when and how he’s going to get him” Reaper stared at the stairwell that Angel Eyes had disappeared into some time ago as he spoke “Boss is a dangerous, sadistic man. He’ll personally kill anyone who hurts kids, and he’s as sick as they come when his targets are sick fucks.”  
“I’ve seen him torture a man for prostituting a kid in grade school. He chained him to a wall and cut out his vocal cords so he couldn’t scream” Fang shuddered at the memory. “When he was done, he had his disposal team come in; it took them three hours to remove everything, then another nine to clean. I left, I couldn’t take it, went down to a bar while he finished. Took him five hours with the guy. I drove him home after that incident, his clothes were soaked in blood. He didn’t speak to me, just sat there with a grin.”  
“Whoa” Smokes whispered in disbelief and fear.  
“That was probably the worst one. But I wouldn’t put it past him to do worse.” Fang commented.  
“He has, you just don’t know about them” Reaper said as he looked away. “Like I said, he’s powerful and dangerous. And sadistic when he has to be.” He heard footsteps descending the stairwell and all talking ceased when Angel Eyes returned.  
“Dinner’s ready. Shall we?” he asked with a smile. The other men simply nodded and followed. 

__

Once dinner was over, Angel Eyes bid his company farewell for the evening. Fang drove them home, and Angel Eyes retired to his study. He opened a case file and began reading. A few hours passed when a knock came at the door.  
“Father Maz, I have Mr. Malek here for you” Jane said as she opened the door.  
“Send him in” he said bluntly and laid the case file down on the hard desk. Reaper entered the room after a few seconds.  
“I have confirmation on how that boy died” he said bluntly. Angel Eyes lifted his head to look at the man. Reaper stood a bit uneasy in front of the desk. “Strangulation.”  
“Understood” he said closing the case file. “Tomorrow night I’ll need you and Fang. We’ve got a hit.”  
“But sir-”  
“I told you I wouldn’t go into the office tomorrow, I’m a man of my word. Tomorrow night, 10 o’clock, don’t be late.”  
“Yes sir.” With that, he dismissed Reaper and retired to bed. 


	3. Chapter 2

_I bet you’re wondering why I always wear sunglasses or a hat, even indoors. Why people never see my eyes. They don’t call me Angel Eyes for nothing you know. Only my most trusted men have seen them -and that’s a rarity- along with a certain group of people. It keeps me safe; anonymous. At least that way I can separate myself from work easier. There’s only a select few I’d let look me in the eyes without hesitation. Who? The angels of course._

 

 

Angel Eyes awoke to sunshine. He looked over at the clock and saw that it was well past noon. _First decent sleep I’ve had in weeks._ He got out of bed and walked to his closet. He found a pair of dark pants and a black shirt and slipped them on. Being his first afternoon off in months, he lounged around the house, sitting out by the pool reading a novel, walking through his luscious garden, even dabbling on his grand piano in his library.  
“Sir, dinner will be ready shortly. Will you be changing?” Jane asked quietly as she approached him poolside. He didn’t look away from his novel.  
“Not tonight. It’s just me afterall, though expect a mess to clean up tonight. The clothes might need to be burned if you can’t get them clean.”  
“Of course sir. I do hope you enjoy the rest of your relaxation, you need it every once in a while.” she commented causing him to look at her. She saw her own nervous reflection in his sunglasses. “I didn’t mean to overstep sir, I just care about your safety and wellbeing. You’ve been overworked as of late and-”  
“I know. I should take more days off. One day I will, but now isn’t the time. Thank you for the concern.” he said as he turned his attention back to his book. Jane nodded and excused herself to set the table. Angel Eyes finished the chapter he was on and placed his leather bookmark inside the novel, marking his place for his next night off. With a slight grunt, he rose from his lawn chair and made his way inside. He placed his novel on the coffee table in the library before making his way to the dining room. The walls were a dark emerald with gold trim around the ceiling. The furniture was mahogany, and the table runner was plum with an intricate design reminiscent of an ancient Chinese motif in gold. He sat at the head of the table fit to seat ten and reached for the goblet of water. His dinner was brought out to him by Jane, his most trusted servant, and he was left alone. He ate in silence, the only sounds coming from the silverware as it clinked against the china.  
After dinner he grabbed his favorite brandy and retired to his library. He lit a candelabra and sipped his brandy while lounging on his dark velvet chaise while his record player ran through a smooth jazz album. A knock came at the door as he was making his way through his third glass.  
“It’s open” he called out. The door swung open gently to reveal Reaper and Fang, dressed in solid black with fedoras.  
“Ready when you are boss” Fang stated. Angel Eyes held up one finger to the men as he quickly downed the rest of his drink. He rose from his chaise and sat the now empty glass on top of the piano as he walked towards the men.  
“Alright” he said with a dangerous smile “let’s get the bastard.”

 

Fang drove the pearl Cadillac through the streets of New York mercilessly until he reached their destination. He parked across the street from a tailor’s shop. The three men exited the car and Angel Eyes turned to the men, a tense ambiance between them.  
“You two stay on the lookout. If nothing happens in a half hour, go get a drink. I’ll be an hour and a half. After that, call in the disposal team.” They nodded and Angel Eyes went across the street and to the back entrance. He sent a team ahead who did the hardest part of the job. Smokes’s boss had him and a few others skulk out the shop and made the shopkeeper indisposed just for this occasion.  
“Mr. Kolt, so good to see you” Angel Eyes growled darkly. The man cowered in the chair he was strapped to.  
“I didn’t do anything! Please let me go!” he cried, pulling against his restraints. Angel Eyes pulled up a chair and sat across from the distressed man. He stared at him intently through his dark sunglasses and slowly reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a sharp knife.  
“You know what I hate?” he said smoothly as he ran his fingers over the blade, toying with it. “Liars. And more than that, sick sadistic fucks who think it’s okay to hurt children.”  
“Look whatever you heard, it isn’t true-” the man tried but was cut off when Angel Eyes threw the blade, narrowly missing the man and imbedding in the wall behind him. The man paled and stared at him in trembling fear, his legs beginning to shake. “Wh-what are you going to do?” he asked nervously. Angel Eyes chuckled darkly as he stood and retrieved his knife. He pulled it out of the wall and stood silently behind the man. He leaned down and whispered softly in the man’s ear, “nothing you don’t deserve.”

 

Reaper and Fang sat at a table in a bar, sipping on their second drink of the evening and watching the passersby. Reaper looked at his watch and then to Fang.  
“Boss will be done in ten, we should head back” he said nonchalantly. Fang nodded in agreement and they finished their drinks, heading out the door and walking back towards the car. They reached the car just as Angel Eyes walked around the front of the building. His clothes appeared wet in places and his sunglasses were splattered in blood. Fang started the car and Reaper slid into the backseat followed by Angel Eyes.  
“I called the disposal team when you went inside, they should be arriving now” Reaper stated calmly.  
“Good. Nobody will know a thing by morning” Angel Eyes said.  
“Will you be making your visits tomorrow, Boss?” Fang asked, looking in the rearview mirror at Angel Eyes, attempting to talk about anything but the hit.  
“I believe so, I would hate to disappoint. Is that alright with you, Gwilym?” he asked gently in response.  
“Yes sir, just fine Father Maz” he stammered. Hardly ever did his boss call him by his name. He responded with the only other name he knew to call him. The atmosphere was uneasy as Angel Eyes removed his sunglasses, gently wiping the blood splatters on his sleeve. He turned his eyes to meet Fang’s in the mirror, sending a chill up the man’s spine.  
“Alright, send me to the one that needs me most. We’ll start there in the morning” he stated, mouth turning upward into a small smile. “Time for them to see Father Maz again.”  
Morning arrived much too early for Angel Eyes’s liking, but he hauled himself out of bed and made his way into the master bath for a shower. After coming in and stripping off his clothes from the night before, he gave them to Jane and took an hour long shower, scrubbing every part of him thoroughly with the toughest soap he owned, doing everything he could to get the blood stains off of him, along with the stench accompanying them. Now morning, his shower was quick, opting for a lavender scented soap. He quickly showered, pushing last night’s memories aside and dressed for his trip. He dressed in a thin navy sport coat and slacks, more casual than usual. His hair was combed but not gelled, but his sunglasses remained glued to his face as he made his way outside to where Fang was waiting for him.  
“Where are we going this time?” Angel Eyes asked as he got in on the passenger side.  
“Silver Oak. You said to take you to the one that needs you most” Fang stated as he started the car. Angel Eyes nodded and they set off for the city.

Silver Oak Orphanage was one of the first the city built. It housed fifty children, but recently they started needing more staff as some had quit. The building was starting to fall into disrepair, much to Angel Eyes’s surprise when he pulled up beside the side gate.  
“Take notes, we’re gonna be here a while” he said to Fang. They approached the front door and knocked loudly.  
“Coming!” came a lady’s voice from inside. The men stood outside patiently, Angel Eyes looking at the building, and Fang writing notes quickly as his boss named off spots in need of repair. The door flew open nearly knocking it off its hinges.  
“Father Maz, Gwilym! To what do I owe the pleasure?” the lady elated, shaking Angel Eyes’s hand furiously.  
“I came to see the children and to see how you’re doing here. It seems the building needs some work” he said looking at the rusty door hinges. The girl’s face fell and she looked down at her feet in embarrassment. “No dear” Angel Eyes stated, taking the girl by her hand “please tell me everything that needs fixing. I don’t care if it’s a leaky faucet or a crack in the wall. I want to get this place back in tip top shape!” The girl blushed at his touch but nodded and invited the men in.  
“Well, we’re a little shorter staffed than usual. We don’t usually run with less than twenty, but right now we’ve got twelve” she stated as she walked them down a sunlit hallway. Fang wrote in his notebook as they walked.  
“Twelve? That simply won’t do. The children won’t get enough attention. I’ll have that fixed by the end of the week” Angel Eyes stated quickly.  
“We’ve had a few issues with the roof, it seems to be leaking and some of the children have been complaining of a draft in one of the dormitories” she continued as they walked towards the kitchen. “Will you make sure the kitchen is to your standard, sir?” Gwilym took the initiative and walked ahead, taking in the appliances as Joe and the lady looked over the serving area.  
“This is just fine out here. Do the children get enough to eat? Is there enough food supplies coming in?” he asked worriedly.  
“Yes, absolutely. We just received a new cooler and it’s been helping us keep more produce. The children seem happier with it” she commented with a smile. Angel Eyes let out a sigh of relief as Fang returned to them.  
“I’d advise a new oven because this one looks about done, but everything else looks great” he said looking at the lady. “Now how about that drafty dormitory.”  
The men were led upstairs to a large dormitory that would hold about twenty children.  
“It’s our girls’ dormitory that seems to have the issue. They’re all at school right now” the lady stated as Angel Eyes and Fang walked around. The room was vacant, and yes, a bit drafty. Fang scrunched his nose at the sight of what appeared to be rot.  
“I think I found your problem” he said as he approached the moulding near the ceiling. Angel Eyes came up behind him.  
“I’ll make sure this gets fixed today. We can’t subject these children to mold, they’ll get sick. Is there anywhere we can move them to temporarily?” Angel Eyes asked out of concern. The lady brought her hand up to her mouth as she thought.  
“We could move some of them to the special children’s wing, and maybe the others to the infirmary” she said thoughtfully. Angel Eyes nodded to Fang and he made a note in the front of his notebook.  
“Would you mind showing me the special children’s wing? Fang can see to the rest of your needs. I need to spend time with the children” Angel Eyes stated gently. The lady smiled and took him downstairs, leaving Fang upstairs taking note of a few other infirmities of the room.

 

“We have ten at the moment, a mix of boys and girls. We keep them separate, but we make sure the ratio of caregivers is more than with the others” she explained as they walked, “they don’t go to school, but we have a curriculum we try to teach. I don’t know if it helps or not. Some of them don’t seem to know they’re in the world.” She opened the door, leading to a sunny room full of children. Most of them sat in their beds, some in cribs. A few were playing with blocks, and one ran up to them as soon as the door opened. It was a little boy with red hair, similar to Angel Eyes’s. He raised his arms up to the man who immediately picked the boy up and held him.  
“May I stay with them? I’m sure Gwilym could use some help upstairs with finishing up the list of repairs” he said as he patted the boy’s shoulders gently. The lady smiled and turned to exit the room, earning a whine from the small boy.  
“It’s alright little one” he whispered and removed his sunglasses, tucking them in his coat pocket, “Father Maz is here.”  
He sat the boy down and made his way to each bed and crib. He sat down next to each child and talked to them.  
“Good morning sweet thing” he said to one little girl. She appeared to be blind. “You’re so pretty.”  
“Can I touch your face?” she asked softly “I don’t know what you look like, Father Maz”.  
“You know who I am?” he asked in surprise, smiling widely.  
“I remember your voice from the last time. I’m happy you came back” she said with a smile.  
“What’s your name, dear?” he asked gently as he placed her hands on his face.  
“I’m Gina” she said gently running her hands over his features.  
“Well Gina, can you help me pick out a story to read to everyone today?” he asked when her hands stilled.  
“But I can’t see the books” she frowned, looking like she was about to cry.  
“That’s okay dear. What’s your favorite story? I’ll read that one today” he smiled and wrapped her in his arms.  
“I like the one about the boy and the giant and the beanstalk” she said with a smile, nuzzling against Joe’s chest. He picked her up and walked to the end of the room where there was a large open rug, sitting her down in front of where he would sit.  
“Children, come here and I’ll read you a story!” he called and most of them came to him. “Now sit down and wait while I get your other friends and bring them” he said as he walked over to two cribs. They each held a small toddler, neither of which were as mobile as their companions. He picked up one in each arm and brought them to the rug, putting them in his lap to lean against him for support. Once all ten children were assembled and mostly sitting on the rug, he read them the story of Jack and the Beanstalk from a fairytale book. He looked around at each one as he imitated the giant and saw their faces light up with excitement and imagination. Some were laughing, and it made him happy to see their little faces.  
About halfway through the story, Gwilym and the lady returned, opening the door and watching the spectacle from afar.  
“He’s not wearing his sunglasses” she gasped quietly as she watched him read.  
“He doesn’t wear them in front of the children” Gwilym commented with a soft smile “they’re too pure.”  
“What-” she began but heard the door open signifying the other children’s return from school. She quickly turned to exit the room, leaving Gwilym alone. He looked at his watch and noted it was significantly later than he had planned on staying, but he didn’t dare move from his place. He knew better than to interrupt this time with the children; it’s the main reason they were there.

“The End” Joe stated and the children made happy excited sounds as most of them went back to their beds or to play with toys. He picked up the two children from his lap and returned them to their cribs, and quickly walked back to Gina who was still in her place on the floor. He knelt down in front of her and noticed Gwilym in the back of the room.  
“Did you like the story?” he asked with a smile. The girl smiled and nodded. “Where do you want me to take you?” he asked as picked her up and held her.  
“I want to go back to my bed. I have a book they gave me. I like reading it.” Joe hummed in agreement and took Gina back to her bed. He sat her down and she picked up a book from her nightstand and handed it to Joe. He turned it over and read the cover.  
“Nancy Drew?” he asked and Gina’s face lit up.  
“I just got it a few days ago and I’ve already read through it once. They don’t have too many books I can read here.” she said with a smile. Joe frowned at her comment but handed her the book.  
“Enjoy it. I have to leave now, I have a few things I have to check out before I go back home today” he said as he stood. He started to walk away but felt a tug at his jacket. He looked down to see Gina crying and clinging to his coat.  
“Please don’t go” she whispered as she cried. Joe knelt down beside her bed and gently wiped her tears, feeling his own threaten to fall.  
“It’s not goodbye forever dear, I promise. I’ll come back” he said as he pushed the hair out of her eyes.  
“Promise, Father Maz?” she asked through her tears. Joe’s jaw clenched slightly as he held back tears.  
“I promise, Gina. Don’t worry. I always come back” he said as he hugged her one last time. He tucked her into her bed and handed her the book and turned to walk away. He quickly pulled out his sunglasses and slipped them over his eyes as he approached Gwilym.

“We should check out that rot one more time before we leave. I need to know how many men to get on it if we want it fixed quickly. And I have about fifty other things to get fixed for this to be up to your standard” Fang said as they walked up the stairs towards the girls’ dormitory once more. It was mostly empty save for a few girls, one of which was on her bed under the rot they were there to look at. Joe removed his sunglasses so as not to frighten the girl as he walked closer.  
“Hello there” he said with a smile. The girl cowered away from him slightly as Gwilym walked around the other side of her bed to inspect the wall.  
“H-hi” she got out and adjusted her round glasses. Joe smiled and knelt down in front of her to look her in the eye.  
“My friend and I are here to look at this spot on your wall. We want to get it fixed as soon as we can, is that okay?” he asked in a gentle voice. The girl nodded and he smiled back as he rose to his feet and walked over to Gwilym.  
“I’m thinking five men, maybe take a few days” Fang stated as he prodded at the spot and measured its extent. “We want to make sure it’s done right” he commented.  
“I see your point. Can you call in the interior team when we get back to the office? I want that taken care of first.” Angel Eyes said as he looked at the rot. “That and the roofers to make sure the source is taken care of.” Fang nodded and exhaled sharply as he wrote out his to-do list. The small girl looked on in curiosity at the men in suits. Angel Eyes caught her stare and walked back to her. She shied away behind her sweater as he sat next to her on the bed.  
“What’s your name?” he asked kindly as he rummaged through his pockets.  
“C-Charlotte” the girl whispered nervously as she watched him. He finally found what he was looking for and held out a piece of peppermint to the girl.  
“That’s a pretty name for such a sweet girl. Well Charlotte, I think we figured out the problem and we’re gonna make sure you don’t have to sleep next to this anymore, okay?” he said looking over his shoulder at a slightly frazzled Fang.  
“Th-thank you” she said as she took the candy from his hand. She smiled weakly up at him. “What’s your name?” She asked after a minute.  
“People call me Father Maz. I help make sure you’re all taken care of until you find your families” he explained gently.  
“Will I have a family one day?” she asked with hopeful eyes.  
“I think so. You’re too sweet not to” he said as he gently patted her brunette braids. He noted her tattered ribbons and made a mental note to make sure she had more. “I have to go now Charlotte, but I’ll be back soon. I’ll make sure to see you when I come back, okay?” he said as he stood.  
“O-okay. It was nice meeting you” she called out to him as he and Fang were leaving.  
“It was nice to meet you too Miss Charlotte” he said and tipped his head to her. Once out of the dormitory he replaced his sunglasses once more. “Cute kid, needs new hair ribbons” he commented to Fang.  
“Anything else to add to the list?” Fang huffed, shaking his pen.  
“Books for elementary aged children. In braille” he added as they walked out of the orphanage.  
Fang nodded as he wrote it down. His pen was nearly out of ink. He had a long day ahead of him.


	4. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been excited for this chapter and giving character insight. I have many more planned. Next chapter is more story than just character development, but I hope you enjoy!

_I haven’t slept for four days. And probably won’t tonight either. I can’t sleep until I get all these repairs put in and the teams contacted and pick up the brandy and get the cars washed and...I need a drink._ _Eighteen. I’ve called eighteen guys to try to get Silver Oak back in order. That takes care of most of the repairs. I still need to get  that kid some books and the other one hair ribbons…_

 

Gwilym walked out to the dock at midnight. It didn’t take him long to find the man he was looking for.  

“Quarter pound as you requested” the man said in a thick Brooklyn accent as he pulled out a bag of white powder.  

“Thanks” he replied and pulled out a wad of cash. He’d taken up the habit a few months after joining Angel Eyes’s men. Back then he was a locator working long nights staking out places looking for the targets the hitmen were after. Usually the hitmen could do it themselves, but Gwilym was a particularly good locator, finding his first target within twelve hours with all his details written out, home and work addresses, and family names. He took the information straight to Angel Eyes who was immediately impressed. He shook Gwilym’s hand and offered him a promotion. From that moment he became the head of the locating teams and the representative to talk business before they got to Angel Eyes. Anytime he flashed his beautiful teeth at anyone, they were under his spell; he could get them to do about anything. His smooth talking and his quick hunting skills earned him the name Fang, and from then he took up being Angel Eyes’s personal bodyguard when he was out. 

The years were starting to wear on him though, his scruff was starting to get a small amount of gray and he hadn’t had a proper sleep schedule for as long as he could remember. He’d gotten his promotion a few years ago, and it started out fine, but the past two years he’d had more responsibility than ever, leading to his current state. But he did it for Angel Eyes, so he did what he had to to survive.

 

Which brings him to a dock at midnight buying cocaine. He didn’t carry much on him at a time unless he had just bought it. He bought a quarter pound every couple weeks. It’s what helped keep him alert when he hadn’t slept. He kept it in an old rouge container when he was out, having it in his jacket pocket for when the day started to wear. A metal flask was in his interior coat pocket and usually was bone dry by the end of a work day. Something had to keep him sane, be it cocaine, booze, or otherwise.

 

Gwilym took a quick bump and walked over to one of the speakeasies Angel Eyes owned. Though prohibition had ended, he kept the speakeasies operational as one of his fronts, not to mention they brought a lot of people together and made it easy to discuss business. You could get about anything you wanted in one, including exactly what he was after. He approached the door and knocked twice. A small window opened to reveal a man.

“Whatcha need?” he asked in a gruff voice. Gwilym simply flashed a card with “Fang” written in gold calligraphy and the door immediately opened. 

“Sorry to keep you waiting sir, please come in” the man said as Gwilym walked past him and made a beeline for the bar. 

“Gwilym! Nice to see you again” the bartender hollered as he approached “the usual or are we going rogue tonight?” he asked with an eyebrow wiggle. 

“Just the usual tonight” he said propping against the counter and looked around. He mostly saw his colleagues and a few new faces. The speakeasy was open to the public if they knew the password, but for the three men with their names in gold calligraphy, they were treated like kings. Everyone knew they were Angel Eyes’s most trusted men, and therefore were given anything they wanted; booze, food, entertainment, whatever they wanted. 

“You got it boss” the bartender said and sat and icy whiskey glass and a bottle of Jameson on the counter. Gwilym took the bottle and poured the glass nearly full as he looked around at a few of the ladies who had come out. His eyes scanned the room as he sipped his whiskey. A man was playing a saxophone on stage at the back of the room, and he began tapping his fingers on the counter of the bar. He caught the eye of a petite brunette woman in a slim burgundy dress. He flashed her a seductive smile and she blushed, looking away for a moment before looking back at him, her lip in between her teeth. He nodded his head and she began crossing the floor towards him. Noticing the woman approaching, the bartender got out another glass and sat it next to the bottle of Jameson. 

“Hello beautiful” Gwilym said darkly. 

“Hi yourself” the lady replied coyly. 

“Can I pour you a drink?” he asked, picking up the bottle and the whiskey glass. 

“I suppose so, but shouldn’t you ask me my name first?” she asked batting her eyes. _Not like it really matters._

“Alright love, what do I call you?”

“Carol.”

 

Truth be told he couldn’t care less, she was there for one reason and that reason only, and she didn’t ask many questions when he pulled her into a back room of the speakeasy. It was one of multiple bedrooms for the hitmen that they could utilize if need be, and Gwilym frequently took advantage of them. The door was barely shut before he was on her, pinning her to the door with his hips, hands running over her body, teeth sinking into flesh. Her moans were resounding off the walls. It wasn’t long before he threw her onto the bed and stripped off her clothes, removing them violently leaving a few tears in them. He threw off his coat and his shirt before going back to her. She looked up at him with pleading eyes and he ravaged her as only an animal could. 

 

His head was pounding, either from tension being released or from too much whiskey, but he wasn’t sure. He sat on the edge of the bed looking at this now wrecked woman. 

“Get out” he said simply, staring at his clothes that were thrown haphazardly in a chair. 

“I-I’m sorry?” she asked in a soft voice, pulling the sheets up to her chest. 

“Get out, I’m done with you” he stated again, a bit harsher. She silently got out of bed and dressed in her now torn clothes. Tears silently streamed down her face as she sat on the bed and put her shoes on. While she finished dressing, Gwilym put on his shirt, leaving it unbuttoned, and poured another glass of whiskey from a bottle on the dresser. He heard the door open and slam shut, signifying he was alone. Once again. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the clock. _7:08- I’m supposed to pick up the boss at 7:30_ he thought and grabbed the rest of his clothes, dressing as quickly as he could. Once he was dressed he looked back at himself in the mirror, trying to fix his hair as best he could and checking to make sure _Car...Cher...doesn’t matter,_ making sure that woman didn’t leave any marks on him. Seeing he was clear of that, he poured another glass of whiskey. He sat it down on the dresser and put his hands in his pockets, eyeing the tired, wasting away, shell of a man who stared back at him through the mirror. He felt for the plastic bag in his pocket and looked down at is as he pulled it out of his coat. He quickly opened it and poured out a line on the dresser in front of the mirror. He didn’t bother with any bills, papers, or otherwise, just leaned down and quickly sniffed the line straight off the dresser. He pinched his nose as he felt the rush from the cocaine and shook his head a few times. He tucked the bag back into his pocket and started mentally going over all exactly 47 things he had to do today, not including calls, and figuring in a quick bite to eat, if he could manage it in five minutes with the closest place being eight minutes away and...he caught his eye in the reflection once more. This time he paused and put his hand out to the mirror to make sure what he saw was actually him. He noticed the gray hairs, the deep bags under his eyes, the wrinkles, and the bloodshot bright blue eyes with dilated pupils he wondered would ever return to normal. He propped his elbows up on the dresser and lowered his face into his arms, letting his hands fall back onto the back of his neck and shoulders. He felt a tear prick the corner of his eye as he rested there for just a moment. He quickly looked back at the clock. _7:24._

“I don’t know how much more I can take” 

 

_It was now his fifth day without sleep._


	5. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took so long! With the new school year starting, my editor and I have had conflicting schedules and weren't able to edit it as soon as we wanted to. By all means, this baby isn't finished. Do expect more!

_ The days are long, and the nights seem longer, but after a while the routine just feels monotonous. It’s nice to find new guys to initiate into the family. Smokes shows so much potential, possibly the next Reaper if you ask me. _

 

The following week went fairly smoothly for Angel Eyes. Silver Oak had been mostly repaired. With Fang working nearly around the clock, the teams were assembled to repair it as well as multiple teams on standby ready to begin construction on Angelwing as soon as the order was given. Reaper had gone up a few days ago to give the contract to the mayor, and the land was in the process of being purchased. In the meantime, Angel Eyes was overseeing Silver Oak’s repairs. Once Reaper returned with the land deed, he sent out the construction teams to begin working on the land. 

He sat at his desk going over files of potential caregivers to add to the orphanages when Reaper entered his office. 

“Boss, there’s a woman wanting to speak with you, should we bring her in?” he asked. Angel Eyes looked up, eyes shaded by his fedora. 

“Sure. You and Fang go get her and I’ll see what I can do” he replied, slightly more chipper than he usually was. This didn’t go unnoticed by Reaper. He smiled and bowed his head before leaving the room. While he waited, he called in Smokes. 

“You wanted to see me, Boss?” he asked when he entered the door. 

“Sit down, I just wanted to chat. How’s Kathleen?” he asked with a smile. Smokes’s face lit up.

“She’s doing great, sir. She loves her school. She comes in every day telling me about what she learned,” he said happily. 

“Does she talk about…” he trailed off, not wanting to upset the man. 

“No. She sometimes has nightmares and says she was in “the bad place”, but that’s as much as she says. They’re becoming less and less thanks to her counselor” he explained. 

“Good, good. I wanted to ask you about something” he said as he stood and walked over to his mini bar. He poured two glasses of brandy and walked back over to Smokes, offering him the glass. Smokes took it hesitantly and waited for his boss to sit back down. Instead of sitting behind his desk, he sat in the chair next to him. 

“You’ve done everything I’ve ever asked of you. You jump before I even ask” he said before sipping his drink. Smokes watched him anxiously. “I’ll cut to the chase, I want to try you out as a hitman. Give you a trial run and if it goes well, a promotion. You’d be under Reaper, a hitman for hire. You’d be given a team to help you with locating and gathering information. You get a down-payment for your service and then the rest when the job is done. We like to have them completed in under two weeks. What do you think?” Smokes looked at him with wide eyes, speechless. 

“Just making sure I understand, you want to try me out as a hitman. You want me to take people out, and get paid to do it” he reiterated nervously. 

“That’s correct. What do you think?” he asked honestly, removing his glasses and looking at the man directly. Smokes felt his blood run cold at the sight. 

“I...why me, sir? I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, I just want to know why you want me,” he replied keeping nervous eye contact. His emerald eyes were locked on the intense, yet slightly soft honey ones in front of him. They carried emotions he didn’t know were possible. 

“You do your job better than anyone. You’re more competent than your squad leader, which worries me a bit,” he chuckled. “I think your eagerness will come in handy if you can keep the mission as your focus. You’re inconspicuous enough to where you’re not highly suspect with anyone, and your baby face seems innocent enough to not draw suspicion when talking to people. You’ve done me and this administration good, and I think you have potential. I can give you a trial run, and see how it goes. I’ll have Reaper as your backup in case something happens” he explained, gauging Smokes’s reaction. Smokes sipped his brandy while he contemplated. 

“If you want me on a trial run, I’ll do it boss. Can you make sure someone watches over Kathleen while I’m gone? I don’t want her going to bed worried about where I am. She’s a sensitive kid, and after...the incident, I worry even more for her sake,” he explained. His eyes clouded over with worry and the threat of tears, but he did his best to keep it together. He didn’t want to show weakness in front of Angel Eyes, not again. 

“Of course. I have some people who can act as babysitters or nannies. I’ll sort through some of their files and you can decide who you’d like to interview and we can get that set up as soon as we can. In the meantime, I’ll keep her. I’ll make sure she’s in bed and safe, well-fed and happy. She’ll be just fine, I promise.” he said moving to one of the filing cabinets lining the walls. “I actually keep the files here, several of my men have kids. I do everything I can to make sure the kids never find out what happens, and so far I’ve been successful. My employees are sworn to secrecy and they know if they tell the children I’ll take them out personally” he said as he pulled out a stack of files. He sat them on his desk and made his way back to Smokes. He paused in front of the man and held out his hand. 

“Well?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow. Smokes paused wide-eyed before taking one last sip of brandy and shaking Angel Eyes’s hand. 

“Happy to serve the administration, boss.” he said as he stood and shook his hand. Angel Eyes smiled and replaced his glasses on his face.    
“Good, I’ll call for you when I decide to start that run. Until then, be on stand by” he said and turned his back, effectively dismissing Smokes. 

“Yes sir, thank you,” he replied before tipping his head and letting himself out. Angel Eyes poured himself another glass of brandy and began looking at potential sitters. He had gotten through four files when a knock came at his door.

“Come in,” he said and closed the files. 

“Patterson to see boss,” Fang stated hurriedly.

“Send her in,” he said looking at Fang. He nodded and began excusing himself when he was stopped. “Fang, wait. Sit down a minute. '' Fang nodded and sat down across from his boss.

“You look a little...disheveled son. You doing alright?” He asked genuinely curious. Fang looked down at his lap and clasped his hands.

“I’m alright. A little tired maybe,” he commented, keeping his bloodshot eyes out of view of his boss.

“Try and get some rest tonight. Why don’t you go home early today and rest? Maybe get a good dinner, you’re looking a little thin,” he said with a kind smile.

“Yes sir, I’ll do that,” he said a little wearily. Truth be told he hadn’t had a proper meal in about a week, but he would never admit that out loud.

“Send her in and then you can leave. I’ll see you in the morning,” he said with a smile. He couldn’t place it, but Fang felt off.  _ Perhaps a day off will do him some good. _

“Aye sir,” he said rising from his chair. He tipped his head and shakily left the room. A woman entered a few moments later.

“Mrs. Patterson, what can I do for you?” He asked as he propped his elbows up on the armrests of his office chair. He rested his chin on his hands as he awaited a reply.

“Father Maz, my husband left me for another woman. I want him gone,” she said bluntly.

“Well then, I think we can arrange that. How quickly do you want it done?” He asked darkly.

“As soon as you can,” she replied.

“Give me $2000 up-front and I’ll have him gone by next week,” he said as he reached for his glass of brandy.

“I can do that,” she said and pulled out her purse.

“I’ll need another $8000 once it’s over,” he commented, making her pause. “My men risk their lives for this, surely you didn’t expect it to be cheap.”

“Of course not. I’ll make sure to have it by next week,” she said kindly.

“We appreciate your business. I’ll put my best man on it. Can you give me a name and a description just to get us started?” He asked as he pulled out a notepad.

“Alexander Patterson. He’s about 5’ 8, stocky. He has short brown hair and blue eyes. He works as a jeweler on 5th Avenue,” she explained. As she spoke, Angel Eyes wrote. He was taking down details and information and assembling a team as she spoke. Once he had the information he needed he put his notepad down.

“Thank you. I’ll contact you when we’ve finished. You’re all set, my associate will see you home,” he said turning around and staring out the tinted window.

“Thank you Father Maz,” she said and opened the door. Once she was gone, he began putting together a new file. He left a note on the front desk and continued working. An hour later his door opened once more.

“You needed me?” Reaper asked, letter in hand.

“You’re hired,” he said bluntly, finishing up the file.

“Alright. I take it that’s the information?” He asked pointing to the file on the desk.

“There’s another thing about it though. Smokes is going to follow along as your shadow this time around. I’m going to be giving him a trial run. I want you to show him the process, answer his questions, and next hit he’s on his own,” he said as he removed his glasses.

“I’ve done that with several, I can do it again,” he said as he casually took a seat in the leather chair across from the desk.

“I know you can. You’re my best. It’s why you’re over all of them. I’ve got your down payment here,” he said handing him an envelope containing $1500. “You’re the only one I only take 10% from.”

“I’m the only one who’s been with you since the beginning. I’d like to think I earned it,” he chuckled, earning a smile from Angel Eyes. “You send Fang home?”

“He looked a little pale, can’t have him getting sick. Without him not much would get done. You’d be in here, we’d talk all day, and I can’t run a business like that,” he laughed.

“No kidding. It’s nice to just talk though,” he said with a half smile.

“It is. Feels like old times,” he smiled sadly.

“Maybe sometime we should go out and get a drink or dinner or something. Not worry about work for once,” he offered.

“I’d like that. Maybe one day I can take off once Angelwing is up and running or something,” he commented before picking up the file.

“Before I forget,” he said and handed Reaper the file.

“Of course” he said as he took it. He opened it up to reveal a slew of information. “Cheating husband. Always fun” he commented as he read. “Seems straightforward enough. I’ll explain it to Smokes tomorrow” he said as he closed it.

“How about a drink,” Angel Eyes said as he rose from his chair. “I always keep your wine on hand in case you pop in for a visit,” he said and opened a small refrigerator, pulling out a bottle of red wine.

“You remembered,” he commented a bit shocked.

“Of course, we had it the night we met. It brings back good memories,” he said with a smile as he poured two glasses. He grabbed them and handed one to Reaper before sitting in the chair next to him. 

“You were in that green suit,” Reaper reminisced with a sigh.

“And you ruined it by spilling this on it,” Angel Eyes laughed.

“It was an accident!” He defended with a smile. 

“I’m sure,” he laughed. He needed this, one of the rare occasions when he could relax. 

“Let me drive you home, I’ll take this and show up to explain it to Smokes tomorrow after Kathleen goes to school,” he said as he placed his glass on the edge of the desk. Angel Eyes nodded and rose from his chair, grabbing his sunglasses and placed them on his face. 

“I think he’ll be a good addition to your team,” he commented as they walked.

“No doubt, but he needs training.”

 

Morning came at the Hardy household. Being a Friday morning, Ben got up at sunrise and softly padded to Kathleen’s room. He cracked the door open to see she was still sound asleep and quickly grabbed her clothes so he could iron them. Her school uniform was a simple long-sleeved shirt with a plaid dress over it and a pair of white tights. He ironed the small items gently, making sure they looked as crisp as possible. Once they were ironed, he started on breakfast. He made them each some scrambled eggs and toast and added some chopped strawberries to the plates before putting them on the table. He poured two glasses of orange juice and set them on the table before going back to her room.

“Morning sweet girl, time for breakfast,” he cooed gently as he shook her tiny shoulders. She groaned softly and turned over, opening her big green eyes to look at her father.

“Morning daddy,” she sighed with a smile and made grabby hands at him. Even though she was six, she still loved being carried, especially after she had just woken up. Ben picked her up and kissed the top of her head before walking to the small round table where breakfast now sat. He sat her in her chair and walked around to his. 

“Thank you daddy,” she smiled as she picked up her fork and stabbed her strawberries. Ben beamed as he sipped his orange juice. 

Once they finished breakfast she helped him put the dishes in the sink and went to get dressed. He helped her put on her tights first and then her shirt. She lifted her arms for the dress and he smiled as he buttoned the two large buttons on the back before she ran to the living room. She turned the tv on and found some cartoons. Ben always let her watch them before school, anything to make his little girl happy. While she watched cartoons, he got dressed. He opted for his three-piece suit in case he was needed. He went with a burgundy tie and his black shoes as well as his pinstripe fedora. He finished dressing and combed his hair before walking back into the living room, fedora in hand. He adjusted his tie before sitting next to Kathleen.

“We need to get your shoes on, baby love,” He said, noticing her stocking feet. “Uncle Gwil will be here in a few minutes to take you to school.”

“Okay daddy,” she said cheerfully and grabbed her black patent shoes and brought them to him. He quickly buckled them to her tiny feet and sat her in his lap to watch cartoons together before Gwil came. About ten minutes later a knock was heard at the door. Ben quickly moved her to his side and walked to the door. He opened it to find Rami.

“Smokes we gotta talk business,” he said, holding up the file from the previous afternoon. 

“Fine, come in, but not until she’s gone to school. I don’t want her knowing about stuff,” he whispered, looking back at her still watching cartoons. Rami nodded and entered the home, removing his hat and placing it on the table.

“Kathleen, you remember Uncle Rami don’t you?” He asked and she nodded.

“Hi, Uncle Rami! Daddy gave me strawberries for breakfast!” She said with a smile.

“Did he? I bet those were wonderful. Uncle Gwil was right behind me this morning, he’ll be here in a minute. Do you have a lot of friends at school?”

“A few. They’re really nice.” She commented, hearing the car drive up.

“Baby love wait, your lunch!” Ben called after her, handing her a small metal pail. She took it with a smile. “Aren’t you forgetting something?” She gave him a big hug and a quick kiss before walking over to Gwil. He looked more rested than the previous day.

“Ready Miss Kathleen?” He asked as he opened the car door for her.

“Yes Uncle Gwil! Bye daddy! Bye uncle Rami!” She called, waving as she got in the car.

“Bye baby love! Have a good day at school!” Ben called. He tipped his head at Gwil as he got in the car. Once they were out of sight, he and Rami went back into the house and locked the door.

 

“Why are you here so early? Want some coffee?” Smokes asked as he turned around from the locked door.

“Sure. I’m here because I’ve got orders from Boss. You’re gonna wanna sit down for this,” Reaper replied as he sat down at the table. Smokes nodded and started some coffee.

“Boss wants you to shadow me on this hit, show you the process of how things go down. Think of it like Orientation to Hitman School or something,” he explained as he slid the file across the table.

“Okay, so who’s the target?” He asked as he picked up the file.

“Here’s the file. Everything our system has on this person is here. Fang looks up the person and sends out a locating team. From there they gather information and send it back to him. Anything useful goes in the file we get,” he explained, moving to the chair next to him. “So here we have his schedule, workplace, shop hours, home address, people who work with and for him, and places he frequents.”

“The mistress’s house?” Smokes asked, pointing to an address.

“Of course. And there’s information on her as well. We have to be thorough. The less people know about what happened, the better. We have to stay elusive” he explained. 

“Makes sense. So how do we...you know,” Smokes questioned nervously.

“We trap him, tie him up and blow his brains out,” Reaper said nonchalantly. Smokes paled at the thought. “It’s really not that bad. Your first one’s the worst. Keep in mind these aren’t great people. We’re hired, it’s our job. This is the life you signed up for.”

“I know. I just never thought…” he paused, turning around to pour the coffee that had finished brewing.

“Nobody does. I know it seems bad now, but you’ll get used to it. You’re doing it for your daughter. This keeps her safe, it keeps her happy, well-fed, strawberries with breakfast,” he explained as he took the mug offered to him. 

“We lost everything, and now to have all this...I’m thankful,” Smokes replied.

“You owe the boss your life, this is part of the price.”

“I know. Hey, question?” Smokes started.

“Shoot.”

“Who do you do this for?” He asked. Reaper paused a moment, looking away a bit hastily and sipped his coffee. 

“Someone I’ve cared about for a very long time,” he said softly.

“She must be pretty special” Smokes responded with a smile.

“Yeah.” Reaper said bluntly. He sipped his coffee once more. “Finish that and we’ll go. The sooner he’s taken care of, the sooner I’m paid and the sooner you can get home. We’re finishing this today.” Smokes nodded and the two sat in silence finishing their coffee, cartoons playing in the background.

 

The two men walked around the city following their target inconspicuously. The city was filled with businessmen in suits, so they blended in perfectly, though not every businessman carried a silenced pistol on him. Under Reaper’s supervision and guidance, Smokes gathered information, enough to be able to put in a formal request once he met his target. Their ring worked with charm; charm the targets, earn their trust, take them out. Fang had his intoxicating smile, Reaper could charm anyone with his words and tone of voice alone, seducing all who talked to him, and now it was Smokes’s turn to figure out how to charm his target. They entered the jewelry shop, and Reaper began looking at rings, Smokes looking at bracelets.

“Can I help you fine gentlemen?” The man asked. Target sighted.

“I’m helping my soon to be brother in law find a birthday present for my sister.” Reaper lied, anything to earn the man’s trust.

“Ah, well then, I have many things a lady might like. Does she have any preferences?” He asked kindly.

“She prefers yellow gold and blue or purple gemstones. I was hoping to find her a whole set,” Smokes explained nervously. 

“How long have you been together?” The man asked as he contemplated his wares.

“Three years. We’re to be married in July.” He responded.

“I have something in the back that I think you’ll like, one moment.” He said and began walking to the back of the store. Reaper waited moment and quickly followed.

“Too easy,” he chuckled as he motioned for Smokes to follow. The two men quickly followed him in the back room and locked the door behind them.

“What are you-“ The man began but was quickly knocked unconscious by Reaper slamming his pistol in the back of the man’s head. He proceeded to tie him up and prop him against the back wall.

“Finish him,” he commanded, looking at Smokes. He paused, looking at Reaper with pleading eyes. “Go on, head-shot.” Smokes drew his pistol and cocked it. He swayed his hips, feeling tears prick his eyes.

“I...I-“

“It has to be done. If we don’t, he’ll have us taken out.” Reaper explained with wide eyes. ‘Twas the debt of a hitman. Smokes’s eyes blew wide with fear and adrenaline. He lowered his pistol for a moment, whispered a few words, and lifted it once more, aiming for the man’s forehead. He felt tears stream down his cheeks, vision clouding over as he slowly pulled the trigger back.

He hit his target dead on.

“Smokes, put the gun away. We call in the disposal squad now, and we go get a drink. It’s on me, alright,” he said comfortingly. Smokes dropped to his knees sobbing. “Come on man, we have to go. It had to be done, and it’s over now.”

“I just killed a man.”

“Come on, we have to leave now,” he said hauling him to his feet and dragging him out the back door. He stopped at a telephone and he called in his disposal team leader, all the while holding Smokes’s hand that continued to shake. Once he was off the phone he dragged him to the nearest bar, owned by Angel Eyes of course.

He pulled him into the building and sat him at a table, going straight to the bartender and flashing his gold calligraphy card. 

“New guy?” The bartender asked curiously.

“My newest trainee, amazing shot, extremely emotional.”

“I’ll give you the bottle,” he said and passed him a full bottle of bourbon and two glasses. Reaper tipped his head and took it back to Smokes.

“Drink up, you earned it.” He said and poured two glasses. Smokes reached for the bottle and took a long swig.

“I don’t know if I can do this…” he admitted softly.

“I didn’t wanna say this earlier, but that guy was a grade A asshole. Something you missed in the file, he’d had a child bride a while ago. That’s why Boss sent me. The man had to die, he wasn’t a good guy,” he explained. Smokes nodded and took another long drink.

“You think I’m cut out for this line of work?” He asked, eyes red and puffy.

“I do. Even crying, you didn’t miss a centimeter. We need people like you. I wasn’t that good the first time.” He said with a smile. 

“Really?”

“Really. Now let’s celebrate,” he said pushing the other glass to him and raising his own. Smokes clinked glasses when him and downed it in one go.

Reaper never told him the child bride part was a lie. He’d have said anything to help Smokes keep his sanity after his first hit, a kindness nobody showed Reaper after his.


	6. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm very happy to be able to work on this story again, please let me know what you think. I have so much planned for this!

_ Sunday morning, same routine. I need to run by Silver Oak and take Gina her books and Charlotte her hair ribbons. I might do that after church. For now, I have to go pray for those children’s souls...somebody has to.  _

 

Fang pulled the car up to the church, and Angel Eyes stepped out. He wore a forest green blazer and had his sunglasses on. He left Fang and Reaper behind as he approached the church. He made his way to the row of candles and silently lit five, each one for a child now reported dead. He felt tears flowing down his cheeks as he ran his fingers over his rosary. Fang and Reaper silently stood behind him, heads bowed in respect as the heard his sniffles. After several minutes, Angel Eyes lifted his head, pocketed the onyx beads, and made his way to his pew. As the sermon went on, Angel Eyes grew more anxious. Reaper looked over at him and noticed his fidgeting. Fang pulled out an ink pen and his notebook and handed it to the man. Angel Eyes took it and immediately began scrawling down a list. 

_ Gina books _

_ Charlotte ribbons _

_ S.O.  _

_ Children- why _

_ Smokes- promotion _

 

That was all Reaper could make out, there was more by the second. He kept silent as he pulled out his own pen and paper.

_ We have plenty of time _

He slowly moved the note onto Angel Eyes’s lap, catching his attention.

_ We’re going today, no excuses _

Reaper simply nodded and turned his attention back to the priest. The service dredged on.

After the final prayer, Angel Eyes stood and quickly turned for the door.

“Thomas! Nice to see you again” father Mark spoke. He rolled his eyes under his sunglasses.  _ I don’t have time for this. _

“You as well father, please excuse me. I have important business to attend to” he said tipping his head and briskly heading for the black Cadillac. Fang and Reaper rushed out after him.

“Boss! Slow down! We have to set the schedule first!” Fang called out, and was met with Angel Eyes opening the car door, ripping his sunglasses off in the process. Reaper immediately shielded his eyes with his own fedora, keeping anyone from seeing his boss’s eyes, and his quickly climbed in the back seat. 

“I’ve waited long enough! We have the books, the repairs, the ribbons, we have to go today!” He said, eyes now uncovered under the shield of the tinted windows. 

“Boss, I know you’re busy and we have a lot to do to get Angelwing open, but we have to use your time wisely. It’s Sunday, you hardly ever do anything on Sundays. How about we go back to your place, have lunch, and then set the schedule for this week? We can go to Silver Oak afterwards” Reaper pleaded. Fang looked at his boss through the rear view mirror, feeling for his flask in his pocket. Angel Eyes sighed and dropped his head into his hands.

“We can call in Smokes. You have to let him know of his promotion” he continued. Fang’s eyes widened at the comment. 

“Sir, if I may,” Fang spoke, a waver to his voice barely detectable, “we need to give Smokes a proper promotion, as you did with all of us. We can set a time for it and then we can go to Silver Oak. I know the children will be happy to see you again.”

“I know. For now, take us home. I’ll tell Jane to expect you both for lunch. While we wait, we can set the schedule. I want all reports on Angelwing’s progress and the repairs to Silver Oak. Understood?” He asked with a sigh. Receiving nods, he motioned for Fang to start the car. “Oh and Rami, I want all the details on Mr. Hardy’s first run. Don’t spare the details.” He chuckled, looking to the man, eyes wild with adrenaline and a dangerous smile plastered on his face. Rami knew this face all too well. He simply nodded and began his story. The one thing about Angel Eyes, when he heard the stories of his men, he always wore the same look, as if the person he was when he visited the orphanages never existed, and all that was left was a cold-blooded killer. Rami never knew how much of each truly existed, but he knew better than to leave out any details. As Rami went on giving a play-by-play of the night, Joe sat there watching him intently, taking in every detail he had to offer.

“How he came up with that lie so fast, I’ll never know” Rami said in slight amusement. 

“Something like that wouldn’t be a lie, not even you are that quick” he commented sinisterly, flipping his sunglasses back over his eyes. He ran his hand through his hair, gently ruffling the auburn locks as they pulled into the driveway of his manor. “Join me boys, won’t you?” 

Fang parked the car and got the door for both men in the back. Joe took the lead as they approached the house.

“Good afternoon Father Maz, will Mr. Lee and Mr. Malek be joining us for lunch today?” Jane asked sweetly as he walked through the door. 

“Yes, and would you be so kind as to not disturb us until lunch is prepared? We have a lot of work to do today.”

“Of course sir” she said, bowing her head in servitude. Joe walked right past her, on towards the meeting room, quickly followed by Rami and Gwilym. 

He led them down into the conference room and walked to the bar. He pulled out a bottle of red wine, a bottle of whiskey, and a bottle of brandy and poured each of them a drink. He picked up the glasses of wine and whiskey and handed them to Rami and Gwilym respectively. Rami smiled at him and he nodded, silently turning around and grabbing his own drink before taking seat in one of the leather armchairs.

“Now, give me the reports” he said before taking a small sip of brandy. Gwilym pulled out his notebook and crossed his legs before speaking.

“The drafty dormitory has been fixed, the oven and stove have been replaced, and the squeaky doors have been made not squeaky. All the children have been returned to their rightful dorms, and I hear they are happy. The special children’s wing has also received new bedding, new light fixtures, and a plethora of books.” He read off from his notes.

“What about the Braille books” he said, cutting his eyes at Fang, making the man swallow hard.

“An entire bookcase full ready to be moved into Silver Oak at your ready” he commented, “a new roof, and the playground has been repaired.”

“Great, wonderful. Reaper! How’s Angelwing coming along?” He smiled.

“So far the land has been grated off and they’re about to start with the plumbing lines. It’s only been a few weeks, but we expect a structure to be going up in about a month. We have 5 full teams in rotation working around the clock as you requested.” He explained, “We’ve had no injury reports or exhaustion reports, all seems to be going according to plan.”

“Perfect,” Angel Eyes smiled, crossing his legs and intertwining his fingers, placing his hands over his knee. “Fang, what’s Smokes’s preferred drink?” He asked turning to the other man.

“Vodka, sir.”

“Perfect. I’ll have that arranged then. Make it a point to pick up miss Kathleen and she can join us for dinner. Send her a silver dress and red shoes, I’ll have Jane whip her up a nice mock-tail and we’ll all have dinner for Smokes.” He said as he rose from his chair. He turned his back and began walking towards the stairwell to talk to Jane when he abruptly stopped.

“Any mentions of work during dinner and I will hang you by your intestines in my basement. Is that clear?” He said loudly, keeping his back turned, head cocked slightly to the side so his voice would carry.

“Yes Boss” they answered in unison, standing to show their loyalty. 

“Good. Make sure Smokes understands as well. I won’t subject Kathleen to this.” He turned to face the men, sunglasses removed and eyes soft. “I know you understand, but I always like to remind you. The children are too pure for this.”

“I’ll tell Smokes when I drop in to bring the dress and shoes for Kathleen and tell him you want to see him. I’ll make sure she doesn’t know” Fang stated, bringing his hand inside his coat pocket and feeling for his flask inconspicuously.

“Good man.” He stated before putting his sunglasses back on. “I’ll tell Jane of dinner plans. You two relax and have a drink, lunch should be ready soon.”

 

Smokes was sitting on his couch drinking a cup of coffee and reading the paper when he heard a knock at the door. 

“Who is it daddy?” Kathleen asked, looking up from her dolls on the floor. Ben folded his paper and stood up.

“I don’t know, baby. I wasn’t expecting anyone” he said cautiously as he approached the door. He grabbed at the small pistol in his pants pocket and opened the door slowly. 

“Ben! Good to see you” Gwilym spoke happily, carrying a garment bag. “Special delivery from the boss, can I come in?” Ben nodded slowly and stepped aside to let the man in. 

“Hi uncle Gwil!” Kathleen exclaimed as she set her dolls down and ran to him. She wrapped her arms around his legs and hugged him tightly. 

“Hello darling, I’ve brought you something” he said as he dropped down to her level, taking a knee. He placed the garment bag across his knee and smiled at her. “Tonight Father Maz is having us all over for dinner and he got you a fancy dress. Will you and your daddy join us?” he asked the small girl. She smiled widely and looked to her father. 

“Can we go? Can I wear my new dress?” she asked Ben. He looked quizzically at Gwilym but nodded. 

“Sure baby. How about you take your dolls into your room and play while I talk to uncle Gwil for a minute, okay love?” 

“Okay daddy” she smiled and grabbed her dolls. Once he heard her door shut, he looked to Gwil. 

“When was I going to hear about dinner plans?” he asked snarkily, crossing his arms. Gwilym stood and propped himself against the couch. 

“As soon as I could get here. Boss decided it today after church. He’s got something for you, wants you to drop in for a special occasion.” he explained nonchalantly. 

“And he wants Kathleen because…” he asked leadingly, widening his eyes. 

“Because he wants her to join us for dinner. That’s all I know” he said putting his hands up defensively. “He said to bring you the news and to deliver another message along with it.” he paused a moment before approaching Ben and whispering in his ear, just in case Kathleen could hear. “If you utter a word about work and what we do he will hang you in the basement by your intestines.” Ben nodded when Gwil backed away. 

“Crystal clear” he said softly. “What time do we need to be there?”   
“Boss said he wants you for a meeting at 6 and then we’ll have dinner after. Jane will keep an eye on Kathleen, show her the playroom for when he has children over while you’re in your meeting” he said, answering a question he hadn’t asked yet. 

“Who’s Jane?”   
“His handmaid, to put it simply. She cooks, cleans, everything. He has a crew to work for him, but she’s the only one he trusts with all the business details” he explained. Ben nodded and ran his fingers through his hair. 

“Any idea what I should wear?” he asked nervously. Angel Eyes never called personal meetings in his home unless it was of utmost importance. 

“Your nicest suit should do. Kathleen’s dress is silver and the shoes are red, if that helps any” he shrugged, and took a sip from his flask. 

“Alright” he breathed, widening his eyes and running his hand through his hair again. Gwilym made a mental note of his nervous tic. He’d add it to the file when he returned to the office. “I’ll make sure we’re there. Can I do anything else for you?”

“No, I’ll be off. Boss has me running a few errands for him before dinner. See you tonight” he said and politely excused himself. Ben saw him out, closing the door behind him and sighed as he leaned against it. “I’m fucked” he whispered before walking down the hall to Kathleen’s room. “Baby, we’re going to need to get ready soon,” he said with a soft smile as he opened her bedroom door. He saw her sitting on her bed looking at a book. 

“Okay daddy” she replied with a wide smile. “Can I see my new dress, please?” He nodded and retrieved the garment bag. He unzipped it to reveal a sleeveless silver dress with a floral pattern stitched in and a small pair of red patent shoes with small pearls in the center of the bows on the fasteners. Kathleen gasped at the sight and covered her mouth with her hands.    
“It’s so pretty!” she screamed and Ben smiled and nodded. “Can I really wear it, daddy? I’ve never had one so pretty.” Ben’s smile dropped for a moment at her comment but he quickly replaced it with a smaller one. 

“Of course my love. If you could have any dress besides this one, what color would you like?” he asked, kneeling down in front of her. She put a finger to her chin and thought for a moment, all the while, Ben watched her, holding her hands in his. 

“Purple. It’s a pretty color” she said after a minute. Ben smiled and nodded to himself. “And it was mommy’s favorite” she said with a big smile. Ben stood up and kissed her head. 

“Daddy’s gotta get ready, I’ll be back in just a little bit to help you get dressed. We have to look good for Father Maz. I’ll be back soon dear,” he said and closed the door behind him. He wouldn’t let her see the tears in his eyes. Instead, he let the hot water of the shower fall over him and erase them. After a longer shower than necessary, he picked out his gray suit, blood red tie, and polished his shoes. He finished getting dressed and combed his hair in the mirror of his dresser. He combed some pomade through it, and deemed it acceptable. He placed one of his fedoras on the bed and made his way back to Kathleen’s bedroom. He helped her into her dress and tights. He then sat her on the bed and buckled her shoes. He took her into his bedroom and sat her on the dresser. 

“Tonight is a big night baby, we have to look our best,” he said as he brushed her hair.

“Why, daddy?” she asked curiously. 

“Father Maz is an important man” he explained, carefully choosing his words. “He looks after people and he helped me find you when you were lost. And tonight, he wants us to have dinner with him, so we have to look good because it shows how thankful we are to him.” She nodded and continued letting him brush her hair. He fixed it into two long pigtails tied with black bows and helped her down from the dresser. He quickly put his shoes on and walked out to see a car waiting for them. Rami opened the door for them. 

“Boss sent me for you” he said to Ben as he helped Kathleen get in the car, answering the question yet to be asked. Ben entered the car and they were on their way. 

 

They arrived at the manor and Rami parked the car. Kathleen had her face nearly pressed against the window in awe. 

“This is a house?” she asked loudly. Rami smiled to himself and looked back at her. 

“It’s Father Maz’s house, and he lives by himself” he retorted kindly. She looked out the window once more. 

“He must be lonely” she replied sadly. Ben held onto her and kissed her head sweetly. 

“Why don’t you give him a big hug when you see him later. That might make him feel better.” She smiled and giggled happily as Rami parked the car and helped them out. Ben held his fedora in his right hand and Kathleen’s hand is his left as they approached the door. Jane opened the door for them and bowed slightly at the waist. 

“Mr. and Miss Hardy, we’ve been expecting you. Father Maz is in his conference room waiting if you wish to join him, Mr. Hardy” she explained with a kind smile, and Ben nodded. He let go of Kathleen’s hand and heard an uncertain whine from the child. Jane immediately dropped down to her level and looked at her with kind eyes. “And I am to escort Miss Hardy to the playroom. Father Maz made sure it had as many different toys as he could find so that you don’t have to sit through the boring meeting. Want me to show you?” she asked happily. The little girl looked to her dad for approval, and once he nodded at her and smiled, she accepted. Jane took her by the hand and led her away from the men. 

Rami nodded at Ben and he placed the fedora on his head and descended the winding iron stairwell towards the conference room. He paused when he got to the door, blowing out his breath sharply and raised his shaky hand to knock on the iron door. He knocked three times, each increasing in power, yet still timid, and was met with a loud “it’s open.” He pushed the door open to reveal Angel Eyes sitting in one of the leather armchairs with his fedora shading his eyes and a glass of brandy in his hand. 

_ Just like the first time I met him,  _ he thought. He closed the door behind him, removed his hat, and crossed the floor to stand in front of Angel Eyes. He stood with his hands crossed and waited patiently, trying to keep his heart from pounding out of his chest. Angel Eyes took a sip of his brandy and looked at the man in front of him. 

“Sit down, I want to talk to you” he said sharply. 

“Yes, Boss” he answered and swiftly took the seat across from him. Angel Eyes remembered the man that once stood before him, crying and begging for his help, and saw the same emotion in his eyes now that was present then- worry and fear. 

“Reaper reports you are a hell of a hitman” he said, propping his elbow on the armrest, opposite hand swirling his brandy slowly. “Said your shot was the cleanest he’d seen in a long time.” Smokes swallowed harshly and tried to calm his shaking. Angel Eyes turned to face the bar on the left hand wall. “Go pour yourself a drink.”

Smokes rose shakily from his chair and walked over to the bar. His footsteps echoed in the mostly empty room. He went behind the bar and looked at the shelves of alcohol. His eyes settled on a bottle of Grey Goose and he slowly picked it up from the shelf. He turned around and picked up a glass from the bar and filled it partly with the vodka before replacing the lid. He left the bottle on the bar and made his way back to Angel Eyes. He noticed the empty glass sitting on the table beside him. 

“Can I get you another?” he asked softly. Angel Eyes looked to the glass and then back at him. 

“You’ll find mine at the end of the bar” he said and watched as Smokes turned around, drink still in hand. At the end of the bar there was a shelf that currently housed 3 bottles; Barbera red wine, Jameson whiskey, and a bottle of Rémy Martin cognac. He picked up the cognac and brought it to where Angel Eyes was. He carefully poured the glass until Angel Eyes put out his hand to him to silently get him to stop. He then replaced the bottle on the shelf and returned to his chair. 

“I developed a taste for expensive brandy years ago. This bottle is my favorite. Peachy and light. What you have is a good choice as well. I believe we’ll be adding yours to the shelf,” he said, earning a confused “sir?” from Smokes. Angel Eyes chuckled to himself. “I’m promoting you to a lead hitman. You’re under Reaper, but you will now be personally hired by clients. You will run a full team and they will answer to you. How does that sound?” he asked coolly. Smokes’s jaw dropped, he was speechless. “As for the drink well,” he paused to sit his glass down. “There are very few men with which I give this opportunity. My inner circle is very small you see. Somehow you have weaved your way in. I already gave you your card to use anytime you wish with my fronts. This is more...symbolic of your promotion. Your bottle will sit on the shelf alongside Reaper, Fang, and myself” he continued. “You three are my go-to, nearly my family. I want you to feel like it. You need anything, you can come to me and you can consider it done. Welcome to the Family, Smokes” he said, standing and removing his fedora. Smokes looked directly into the man’s eyes and fell to his knees, kneeling. 

“Thank you, Father Maz. You have my loyalty forever, sir” he said, staring up into the honey-colored eyes that usually were shielded. Angel Eyes chuckled and held his hand out to the man. Smokes immediately took it and kissed his hand. Angel Eyes nodded at the genture and turned his hand over. 

“Go place your bottle on the shelf. It’s time for dinner” he said and Smokes took his hand to help him off the ground. He walked back over to the bar, picked up the bottle of vodka, and walked over to the mostly empty shelf. He then noticed the place cards under each bottle. “Reaper”, “Fang”, and the one spot that had none. He then looked and saw a third card that read “Smokes”, noting all three cards were written in gold calligraphy just as the personal cards they held. He placed the bottle behind the card and turned to see Angel Eyes behind him. He nodded and led them out toward the iron staircase, leaving the conference room behind. 

 

They made their way to the dining room where Fang and Reaper were sat enjoying a cup of coffee. Jane appeared from the kitchen and brought out two more cups of coffee, cream, and sugar for Angel Eyes and Smokes. Angel Eyes took his place at the head of the table, Reaper and Fang on his right. Smokes moved to his left and was about to take his seat next to Angel Eyes when Jane spoke. 

“That seat is for Ms. Hardy, per her request sir” she said kindly. Smokes paused in confusion but sat across from Fang instead. “I shall retrieve her. She has enjoyed her time in the playroom sir,” she said, addressing Angel Eyes. He nodded and looked to his men, all looking at the eyes that were normally covered. 

“There will be a child present, don’t forget my stipulation” he reminded, voice serious and cold. They all nodded and turned to the doorway upon hearing light footsteps. Kathleen came running around the corner and straight to Angel Eyes. He quickly pushed his chair away from the table and wrapped his arms around the girl. 

“Hello my dear. Did you have fun playing?” he asked kindly. She smiled and nodded. 

“I made this for you Father Maz” she said, holding out a daisy chain. He smiled widely at the girl. 

“Well, put it on me!” he exclaimed. She placed it lopsided on his head and smiled proudly at her work. “How do I look?” he asked curiously. 

“Happy!” she squealed and hugged him again. She then pulled away and took more flower crowns to Fang and Reaper, leaving the last for her father. She handed it to him and then took her place at the table. “Now we all match like a family!” The men all looked at each other, smiles present on their faces at the innocent comment. Smokes kissed his daughter’s head and Jane began bringing around dinner. She had made sure to prepare an extravagant meal alongside Angel Eyes’s personal chef. Smokes looked down at his plate, barely concealing his amazement. He had never seen this quality of food before. He looked to Kathleen who was unable to hide her emotions, mirroring the ones he attempted to keep hidden. 

“Thank you Father Maz for having us,” Smokes stated once everyone was served. “We can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for us.” Angel Eyes smiled, shaking his head. 

“This is what family does. Now everyone enjoy. Tonight we officially welcome Ben and Kathleen into our family” he announced, and looked to the girl immediately after “how does that sound?” She smiled at him and giggled. Dinner was fairly quiet, small talk was made while Kathleen was in the room. When she finished eating, Jane took her back into the playroom to keep her occupied while the men finished eating. 

“Gentlemen, how about we retire to my library for a drink and a smoke” Angel Eyes suggested, the other men immediately standing and following him. He pulled out a pair of sunglasses from his coat pocket and slipped them over his eyes. He entered the room and immediately put on a jazz album to help set the atmosphere. He then went to the bar, poured each man a drink, and pulled out a box of cigars from the back of the bar. “I admit I can be a bit outlandish sometimes” he said with a small chuckle as he lit each man’s cigar. “I wanted to make you feel special, Smokes. Your promotion was well-earned. When I induct someone into my family I make sure they understand the privilege” he then looked directly at Smokes. “I didn’t mean to scare you with the sudden meeting, but I wanted you to know how serious this is. Now I have business to talk with you all.” He took a seat on one of the leather couches, the other men following his lead. 

“Tomorrow we’re going to Silver Oak so I can make the deliveries from a few weeks ago. Fang, you’re coming with me. Reaper, you’re in charge while I’m gone- you know the drill.”   
“Yes Boss” Reaper replied with a nod. 

“As for you, Smokes” he continued, leaning back, “I’m sending you home with a file. I want you to learn your team and be prepared for a new hit. You need to know who to call for each thing. Reaper will test you at the end of the week. You need 100% on this before I let you out on a hit by yourself. We make no mistakes in this operation. I need to make sure you understand that” he explained darkly. Smokes nodded shakily in response. 

“Of course, Boss” he replied. Angel Eyes nodded.

“Meeting adjourned. Stay a while, have a few drinks. It’s nice to spend time with family” he said happily, tone immediately shifting as he cracked a wide smile. 

 

The next morning, Angel Eyes threw on his slacks and dark green blazer and headed to Silver Oak. He had a moving truck follow him and Fang that contained all the deliveries he needed to make to the orphanage. When they arrived, he quickly got out and walked to the front door, a small box of hair ribbons and books in hand. He knocked on the door and was immediately met with the face of a woman who had been crying. She put on the happiest smile she could muster when she saw him. 

“Father Maz! What a surprise” she sniffed. “Come in, please.”   
“I have a few things I want to deliver personally. Gwilym has the rest in the truck. I’m sorry it took so long to get back. I’ll be in the girl’s dormitory and special children’s wing and then come help” he said as he walked towards the staircase. 

“Father Maz, wait-”   
“What would be the best way to get the new stove in?” Gwilym asked, approaching the lady. She stammered a moment before leading him around back. 

 

Angel Eyes removed his sunglasses and opened the door to the girl’s dormitory. He looked around until he saw little Charlotte on her bed with a small ragdoll. He smiled softly and approached her slowly. 

“Miss Charlotte, I have a special delivery for you” he said kindly, grabbing her attention. She went wide-eyed with nervousness for a moment as he approached, but moved out of his way so that he could sit on her bed. He slowly pulled out three sets of hair ribbons, one red, one blue gingham, and one white with gold stitching. She gasped at the ribbons and looked at him with wide eyes. “These are all for you my dear. Do you like them?” he asked sweetly. She nodded and moved to grab them, but retracted her hand. “It’s alright, go ahead” he said reassuringly, and handed them to her. “Now your braids will look extra pretty” he smiled. 

“T-thank you Father Maz!” she exclaimed shyly. “Can I hug you please sir?” 

“Of course” he said and engulfed the small girl in his arms. “I have to go see someone else now, but I’ll see you on my next visit. Be good, okay?” she nodded and he patted her head once more before picking his box of books up and walking back downstairs. He entered the special children’s room and looked around. He didn’t see Gina. He counted nine children, and looked around with a puzzled look on his face. Suddenly, Fang burst through the door, catching him off-guard. 

“Boss, we have a problem” he started, out of breath and wild-eyed. Angel Eyes furrowed his brow and looked at him sternly. “We have another job.”   
“Just a moment, I have to deliver these books” he started, but was grabbed by Fang. 

“She’s dead.”   
“What?”   
“Gina is dead.”

 

The box of books hit the ground with a thud, Alice in Wonderland falling out of the box and sliding across the floor. 


	7. Chapter 6

“Dead? What the fuck do you mean ‘dead’?!” Angel Eyes shouted as he grabbed Fang by the collar, dragging him down to look in his eyes. Fang could see the anger boiling behind the dark shades from this close, their noses just centimeters apart. 

“The police report came in right before we left. “There was a body of a blind girl dumped in a back alley off 26th. Her body was slashed and ribs broken beyond repair. I’m sorry boss” he explained, knees beginning to buckle under him. Angel Eyes rushed out of the orphanage and threw himself in the driver’s seat of the car, Fang following shortly behind. They sped back to Angel Eyes’s manor, weaving in and out of traffic.

“I want you, Reaper, and Smokes in my office at 5:00 sharp. Get as much info as you can on the matter, any eye witnesses, photographs, testimonies, whatever you can find. I want you working round the clock to find who did this. Do you understand?!” He yelled at the man in the passenger seat. He nodded in understanding and pulled out his flask for a long swig. “Don’t get too drunk, I’ll need you soon.”

“Yes boss” he said and placed the flask back in his coat pocket. “I’ll put the research team together, we’ll find something before tonight.”

“Good. I need to know why my orphans keep getting killed.”

They pulled into the drive, and Angel Eyes quickly parked the car and barged into the house.

“Jane! Have the chef prepare a meal for me and the Family. We’ve got a busy night ahead.” He said as he entered the house. She came running to him and they entered his bedroom.

“Let me help you, sir” she said and she grabbed his coat sleeve. “What else will you be needing?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes on thought as he sat in one of the leather armchairs across from his bed. Jane stood back a few feet from him to allow him space.

“Plenty of coffee. Someone is killing my children” he said, removing his glasses. Jane looked at the floor to avoid his eyes, she knew better than to look at them. 

“Who could do such a thing?” She asked, eyes filling with tears.

“We’re going to find out and end them. I’ll take lunch up here today, I’d like to be alone otherwise. I’ll ring if I need you.” She bowed and turned her back to leave. “Oh and Jane,” he said, looking out the large window at his garden and pool. “Bring my green folder, a telephone, and a bottle of brandy.” 

He rummaged through his folder, calling all his researchers to tell them to begin a search. The sun began shining through his window, so he moved to his bed. He had exhausted his list of people to call about the situation and it started to make him anxious. _I don’t know what else to do._ He sat on the edge of the bed, hands shaking slightly as he reached for the phone once more.

“Maybe I should give him a call...” he mumbled to himself as he dialed.

 

“Mmmm fuck” Rami groaned as he threw an arm over his eyes, his hand working himself leisurely. He’d been stressed over work the past week and finally had an afternoon to himself. He’d quickly removed himself of his clothes and thrown himself on the bed for some much needed relaxation. He looked over to the framed picture on his nightstand and studied the features of the face opposite him in the photo. “God, fu-u-uck” he moaned, throwing his head back into the pillow. He whined into the pillow, grabbing it roughly. He began pumping his hand faster, eager to reach a blissful high when his telephone rang. He sat up and glared at it, debating whether to let it ring or continue on when it stopped. He sighed in relief and turned his attention back to his throbbing cock. He leaned back into the pillows once more and continued his slow strokes, finding his rhythm again and feeling the heat return to his face.He flipped himself over and buried his face in his pillow as he grinded his hips into the bed, the added friction bringing him right to the edge. He looked back at the photo and saw the bright eyes and smile he’d come to love over the years and could almost hear the sweet, honey voice calling his name. “Fuck, Joe!” he moaned into his pillow as his orgasm washed over him as he coated his hand and blanket. He laid on his back, panting as he relished in the heat of the sunlight shining through the pale blue curtains of his bedroom. He’d remember to throw the blanket in with his laundry later in the afternoon. His blissful afterglow was interrupted by the telephone once more. He groaned in annoyance but picked it up. 

“Hello?” he answered, trying to keep the annoyance in his tone at bay.

“Rami?” the voice all too familiar to him replied and he felt embarrassment flood his system. 

“Hey Joe. How are you?” he asked, hoping the man didn’t know what he’d just done. Joe had a way of knowing more than one would think, and he prayed he hadn’t caught on to his feelings, lest they be rejected. 

“I’m fine, I tried calling a little bit ago but you didn’t answer.” _Fuck._

“Oh, I was in the shower. Sorry about that,” he chuckled. “Is everything alright?”

“I’m calling a meeting with the Family tonight. We’ve got a situation and I don’t know what to do” he admitted softly so Jane couldn’t hear him in case she was in the hall. Rami propped himself against the pillows at the headboard of his bed and furrowed his brow. _This is very unlike him_.

“Okay then, tell me what’s going on. Maybe I can help.”

“One of the orphans at Silver Oak turned up dead around 26th street. I’m worried something will happen to the others. We’ve got to find the murderer, but I don’t know where to start.”  
“Which orphan?” he asked seriously. 

“Gina. The blind one.” Rami’s eyes widened at the thought. 

“Someone had to have taken her. You need to put surveillance out near Silver Oak. She couldn’t have gotten out that far by herself. Inspect all the staff, find out their routines, and go from there,” he explained. “We need to find the connections between how she got away from the orphanage to her ending up in the alley. I think we need the researchers and interrogators. Maybe Gwil can put a team together and I can help with the interrogations.”

“I’ve already got Gwil putting a team together, but you’re right. We need to start interrogations. Can you get your best men on this?” he asked nervously. Rami couldn’t see the nervous wringing of his hands or pacing the floor.

“Of course, anything for you, Joe” he said with a half smile, looking over at the picture of the two of them together. It was taken on Rami’s birthday the first year he’d met Joe after moving up to New York from California. They had gone to an upscale restaurant on the water, and Joe had asked a photographer to take their photo at the dinner table. Rami had just turned 25 and Joe was 22, fresh out of college. They’d met a few months prior and become fast friends. Now more than ten years later, he still felt the same feelings towards Joe as he had the moment he met him, and it was true, he’d do anything for him. 

“Thank you,” Joe said, snapping Rami out of his memories. “I really owe you for this. I hate asking for help, but I’m so lost.” Rami could hear the tears in his voice. “I promised to protect them, and I’ve let them down. When I became who I am, I told myself I’d protect the ones without a voice and the ones who fly under the radar and are unaccounted for, and I failed. So many have slipped through the cracks and it’s all my fault, Ram.” he sobbed brokenly. He removed his sunglasses and drew into himself on the bed. 

“You’re not to blame, Joey. Someone is making cracks. Someone is hurting these children, and we’re going to find them and end them. You’ve saved so many children, Joe, so many. You’re building another orphanage, you sponsor countless, hell you hand pick the staff at each one. Someone else is wanting to hurt your children, and when we find out who they are, they won’t live long. I’ll help you take them out. We’re going to do this quickly and take them down. Please don’t blame yourself, I couldn’t bear it. We’re going to fix the problem, and you can keep your vow.” he explained as adamantly as he could. “It’s going to be okay Joey.” Joe nodded and sobbed quietly into the pillow on his lap. He knew Rami would know what to do, he always did. It’s part of why he chose him as his right hand man. 

“You know” he said stifling a sniffle with a laugh, “you’re the only one allowed to call me that.” Rami smiled and bit his lip.

“I know, Joey. And I only do it when it’s just us. What time do you need me tonight?”

“Can you be here at 4:30? I want to make sure I’ve got my plans in order before bringing it up to the others.” Rami hummed in agreement and nodded. He looked at the clock and realized he’d need to be getting dressed in a few minutes. 

“I’ll be there, don’t worry. I’ll go get ready and be there soon.”  
“Thank you, Ram. I owe you.”   
“Anything for you, Joey. See you in a bit” he said and hung up the phone. “I love you” he whispered to himself after a moment, and rose to get ready, already eyeing his dark gray suit. He quickly rinsed off in a hot shower, applied a light cologne and dressed as he would for work. He tied a plum tie in a trinity knot and grabbed his fedora before leaving the house in the pearl Cadillac. 

 

When Rami arrived, he was immediately welcomed into the house by Jane. 

“Mr. Malek, father Maz is in his bedroom, you may head on up if you wish, he’s expecting you.” she said kindly, offering to take his coat as he came in. He shrugged it off, revealing his tight white shirt underneath.

“Thank you, Jane.” he said, handing her his coat before heading up the grand staircase to the second level. He reached the cherry door and knocked. 

“It’s Rami” he said and waited for a reply. 

“Come in” Joe’s voice came from the other side. Rami pushed the door open and closed it behind him. He puffed his chest and held his hands in front of him. Joe looked up from his seat once more by the window, glass of brandy in hand and chuckled. “No need to be so formal, Ram,” he said, setting down his glass and standing with open arms. Rami walked over and hugged the man as he had done many times before. 

“Okay Joey. Let’s go over the plan.” Rami said as he patted the man’s back. 

“Fine, but let’s get you a drink. Jane!” he called and a few seconds later was met with the woman in the doorway. “Bring Mr. Malek a glass and a bottle of his red, will you?”

“Of course” she replied and walked down the stairwell towards the wine cellar. 

“So if we get the interrogators to question the staff at Silver Oak to start, we can probably figure out a time frame of when she went missing. If we figure that out, we can determine where to send the interrogators next. We need to take this in segments.” Rami explained as he sat in the other leather armchair opposite Joe. 

“We can have them work with the researchers, it might go quicker” he offered, taking a sip of his brandy. Rami nodded. 

“You said you had Gwil on that, do you think he can handle it on top of everything else?” he asked with concern. Joe looked up over his glass.

“He handles everything I put him up to” he defended. “He didn’t seem phased when I mentioned it earlier, just took a drink as he always does.”  
“I worry about him. He’s lost weight and his nose bleeds easily. I’ll take on more responsibility if I have to, gladly” he offered. He had seen Gwil look better than he did now. The gray hairs were just the beginning. He didn’t bring up the women and the increased cocaine and whiskey consumption over the last month alone. _Maybe I’m just imagining it...but Gwil looks like he’s coked out of his mind half the time. I wonder when he last slept._

“If I have to I will, but he seems to handle everything well. I told him I needed him working round the clock on this, and he was fine. I know you two are friends, but he’ll be okay, trust me” he smiled. Jane returned with a bottle of wine and a chilled wine glass. 

“Thank you Jane” Rami smiled and took the items from her. 

“That’s all for now Jane,” Joe said, dismissing her.  

“Later tonight I’ll put together the interrogators and we’ll start tomorrow. I’ll get with Gwil and coordinate with him and the researchers, and hopefully get this done quickly” he explained once they were alone. “I know you want this done thoroughly, and I promise it will be, but we also need to be quick about it. Angelwing is getting closer to being done every moment, and we’re going to be needed there soon to make sure the proper equipment is bought and installed. And the longer we take to find whoever did this, the higher the chance they’ll do it again. We have to act fast and take them out as soon as we can if we want to protect the children.” Joe sighed and took a long drink of his brandy, looking out over the garden. 

“I know. And that’s what I’m afraid of. What if we can’t find them?”  
“With me and Gwil working on this, you honestly think we won’t find them? Joe, have we ever missed one?” he asked incredulously, making the man smile softly. 

“You have a point. We’ll talk it over with Gwil and Ben when they get here. For now, let’s enjoy a drink, just the two of us. Where would you like to go?” he asked, looking over at the man kindly, eyes catching the sun making them glisten.

“Anywhere is fine” he replied, sipping his wine and trying to keep the blush from rising to his cheeks until he’d had enough wine to blame it on. 

“Then we’ll stay here, it’s got the nicest view of the garden,” he said after a minute. “It’s because of you I built it. One day when we have more time we’ll walk through it.”  
“I’d like that,” he said with a smile. The two men sat in a comfortable silence while they drank. Jane let Ben and Gwil in at 5:00 and directed them to the conference room. She walked up the stairs to Joe’s bedroom and knocked on the door. 

“Father Maz, Mr. Hardy and Mr. Lee are here” she said kindly. Joe sighed lightly and rose from his chair.

“We really do need to schedule more times like this” he said, smiling at the other man who was still in his chair. He grabbed Joe’s sunglasses and handed them to him. He nodded his head in thanks and waited for the other man, placing the sunglasses over his eyes. “Come on Reaper, we’ve got business to attend to” he said coolly.

“Yes Boss,” he responded, and followed the man downstairs.

 

Smokes and Fang sat in the large armchairs in the conference room having a drink when Reaper came down the iron staircase followed by Angel Eyes. Reaper walked over to the bar and poured himself and Angel Eyes a drink and brought it over to the man who had taken his seat at the head of the table. 

“Thank you” he said softly, earning a nod from Reaper who then took his seat. “Fang, your report?” Fang stiffened in his seat and sat his glass down. 

“So far, the team has been put together and we’re starting our surveillance around Silver Oak. We have men reporting in every half hour continuously, and we hope to have an established routine to report to you by Wednesday” he explained a little shaky. Angel Eyes crossed his legs and took a sip of his drink. 

“Alright, get it done” he said through his teeth. “Reaper, put together the interrogators and follow Fang’s team. Interview all the staff and help him get a clear schedule from them.”  
“What can I do, boss?” Smokes interjected. 

“You carry on as always. You’re a hitman, not an interrogator or an informant” he responded dryly. 

“Yes boss” he said nervously. He worried he’d angered him, and that was the last thing he’d ever want to do.

“We’ll have dinner and then you’re all dismissed. I want updates on everything. I want information on everyone who goes in and comes out of that orphanage.”

 

The next few days were agonizingly long. Fang detailed all his notes out, careful to keep them legible, and rotated his team every few hours. Reaper began interviewing the staff. With his team of four, they were able to finish the interrogations in one day, and any viable information was sent to Angel Eyes via Reaper. 

“You alright? You look a little weak” Reaper asked Fang around noon on Wednesday. They had gone back to Angel Eyes’s office to give their reports. Fang had intel come in from one of his men about a suspicious character near a butchery down the street from the orphanage

“I’m fine” he responded curtly, reaching for his rouge container situated in his pocket. He took a bump of cocaine and quickly sniffed it, pinching his nose sharply after. He pulled out a handkerchief and held it to his nose which was now bleeding. 

“I’m fine, always am,” he said. 

“How long has it been since you ate? Or slept?” Reaper asked softly. “I’m worried about you”  
“Well quit worrying!” he screamed, knocking the cup of pens on his desk to the floor. “I do what I have to in order to keep this business running. Do you have any idea what that consists of?” his screams allerted Angel Eyes who simply stood at his door watching it all unfold. 

“I work weeks on end, no food, no sleep, drunk and coked until I collapse and I get no respect! I buy the booze, I run the payroll, I drive your fuck ass around everywhere, but now you finally ask if I’m okay? I’ve been keeping this up for three years and NOW you ask if I’m okay!?”  
“What’s going on, Fang?” Angel Eyes asked lowly, catching both other men off guard.

“I fucking quit! I can’t do it anymore! I quit! I’m out!” he yelled as he shoved the heavy metal desk, flipping it on its side. He fell to his knees sobbing, and Angel Eyes ran to his side, taking the man in his arms. Reaper uprighted the desk and sat off to the side. 

“I can’t keep it up anymore Father Maz, I can’t do it” he sobbed brokenly. Angel Eyes shushed him gently, rubbing his back and nuzzling his shoulder with his chin, his own tears spilling onto the man’s shirt from beneath his sunglasses. 

“It’s okay Gwil. I’m sorry I pushed you this hard. We’re gonna get you clean. Rami,” he called out to the other man. “I’m sending him out to Oasis. Call them and tell them he’s on his way.” Rami nodded and he walked into Angel Eyes’s office and picked up the phone. Oasis was the rehab center Angel Eyes had built for the people he hired in his businesses. He never thought it would be needed for his family. It was out in the countryside of upstate New York, and he made sure it was truly a place of recovery and recuperation. 

“This is all my fault, Gwil. I’m so sorry. I should have seen it sooner” he wailed. “I’m going to get you all better, I promise.” He held them there on the floor until Reaper came back. 

“Oasis is preparing a room for him, I’ll go pack a bag.”  
“I’m sorry I failed you” he sobbed into Joe’s shoulder. 

“Don’t you say that. I’m the one who failed. We’re going to clean you up and you’ll be back with us soon. Reaper and Smokes will help me with this now. I want you to go and relax. I’ll be in touch with you, just take a few months and get clean” he pleaded through his own tears. “The family will be here when you come back. We’ll celebrate you coming home, but for now we need to help you or else we-” he couldn’t finish that sentence before sobbing hard into the man’s shoulder. _I can’t lose you._

 

_So we sent Fang out to Oasis. They told me he’d be gone a couple months, and I could come see him after the detox phase was over. For now I’m putting Reaper over the interrogations and informants, and Smokes will help gather information and may help with interrogations. I’ll just have to see if he can learn it quickly. I worked Fang too hard. This is my burden to bear. I’ll make sure when he comes back that I don’t work him so hard. He was my workhorse...I did this. This is all my fault._


End file.
